KITHOLHU LEADERS VOW TO ENFORCE BYLAW ABOUT CHILDREN MISSING SCHOOL ON MARKET DAYS

This was during a sub county  dialogue meeting at Kitholhu sub county headquarters which brought  leaders on around table to discuss issues of violence against children and adolescents  identified during the implementation of the community driven approaches to prevent violence against children and adolescents in Kasese district. The meeting was attended by the sub county Chief, Chairman LC3, CDO, Parish chiefs, District councilors, Parish councilors, Chairperson LC1s, family and Child protection officer, zonal leader of schools  and Para social workers.

The moderator Ms Margret Kidiima, gave a brief report about the project and presented the issues of violence against children identified during the implementation of the project and these included:

• Mid day meals not provided to school going children
• failure to report defilement cases on time
• Parents not attending school meetings
• Absenteeism of school children during market days
• Sub county not giving support to the schools of their jurisdiction.
• Parents not registering their children at the beginning of year at school

The zonal leader of schools sharing her views

The leaders agreed that  violence against children is rampant in the sub county and the zonal leader of schools and family and child protection officer   reported that parents are the most violators of children’s rights in the community because of negligence and failure to adjust their behaviors when ever sensitized about violence against children.  On this matter therefore the leaders agreed to continuously sensitize the community, work as a team to report cases of abuse against children, enforce the bye-law put in place to prevent children from absenteeism in school during market days through arresting children found in markets on school days and LC1s to monitor homes and see children who don’t attend school during market days and leaders working with parents to see that children are monitored from school and off school.

in conclusion the chairperson LC3 and other leaders present pledged to work with out fear or favor to see that their community is violence free.

One of the leaders during the dialogue