key stakeholders advocate for Prevention for Violence against children in Homes, Schools and Community in Kibito

"Government, communities, teachers and parents must ensure schools are made safe from violence against children as schools prepare for new term opening across the country," said Concerned community facilitator.  This statement reflects the mood of participants at the recently held stakeholders meeting by RIC-NET on the prevention of Violence against children with support from CRVPF. 

For children to thrive in their learning,  the teachers, parents/caregivers and government should make homes, schools and communities safe for children. Children behave and learn better when they feel safe, supported and unafraid. Preventing violence in childhood and providing services for those at risk or survivors, results in positive outcomes for children’s wellbeing. In so doing, we provide a foundation for improved growth of communities and societies. 

some key stakeholders in PVAC in KIBITO

whereas RIC-NET is offering pieces of training to parents on Parenting for Respectability (PfR), training teachers on the Safe school and ‘positive discipline’ approaches in schools instead of corporal punishment, and conducting stakeholder engagement on promoting a safe and secure environment for children and adolescents other stakeholders should perform their tasks and duties.  The Parents/ caregivers should ensure safe & secure homes and community environments for children,  and education officials should hold schools accountable for ending corporal punishment and other forms of violence against children by implementing the existing education ministry directives and policy statements. Parents, caregivers and communities through training PTA and SMC members should discourage teachers from using corporal punishment and protect children from all harmful practices and government should ensure adequate financing of child protection systems and mechanisms by prioritizing the functionality of formal child protection structures within communities, including schools.

Training Children leaders on prevention of Violence Against Children in Schools in Kibito Town Council

To ensure the school environment is safe for children, RIC-NET has trained teachers of primary schools within Kibito Town Council on Safe School environments including alternative ways of disciplining children instead of corporal punishment. About 48 (M-22 and F-26) children leaders in schools were trained for 6 days spread within the term.  The trained children will provide support to the 12 (6M, 6F) trained focal teachers in their respective schools. The teachers and children leaders will conduct Weekly sessions with their peers in their respective schools of Yerya, St. Adolf, Mozet etc. 

Violence against children is on the rise within homes, communities and schools in Uganda. This includes sexual, physical, and emotional violence, from which children have little or no protection at the current time, and which has direct negative effects on their growth and development. The 2018 Violence Against Children Nationwide Survey revealed three out of four Ugandans experienced violence in their childhood. Among 18-24-year-olds interviewed, one in three girls and one in six boys reported experiencing sexual violence during their childhood. The report further illustrates that more than half of all children in Uganda have experienced physical abuse. While every child has the right to safety in schools to ensure that learning is fulfilling, 60% of children regularly experience violence at school. 

The teacher explains to Pupil's relationship

Violence and abuse in schools defeats the purpose of education and force children to drop out, perform poorly and fail to succeed in their lives. Violence against children in schools has adverse effects on children including undermining their right to access quality education. Child victims of violence can suffer a wide range of negative effects including maiming, teenage pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, dropping out of school, and death. Violence against children is also cyclical in nature, with children who have suffered violence more likely to experience violence as adults or become violent themselves.

A 2020 Save the Children report found that children were increasingly vulnerable and at risk from an increase in violence and abuse, stress, poverty, and hazardous coping strategies such as child labour and marriage. Sixteen-year-old Noeline, shared in a 2020 World Vision study that: “Family disputes amongst parents force children to leave home and enter into marriage”. Similarly, in a 2020 Joining Forces survey,40% of caregivers surveyed said they expect an increase in teenage pregnancy during lockdown. The surge of teenage pregnancies and child marriages highlighted in various reports in Uganda today is a testament to this prediction.

RIC-NET acknowledges the protective environment schools provide to learners; however, research reveals that schools in Uganda are not entirely violence-free.  In the 2018 Violence Against Children survey, 94% of girls and 86% of boys who have experienced physical violence first suffered it at the hands of a teacher. 

 

The Day of the African Child celebrated with call to prevent Violence against Children

 The Day of the African Child is celebrated on June 16 every year. The 2024 Day of the African Child (DAC)  theme is 'Education for all children in Africa: the time is now'. Education for all is not the reality for many African children.

The Day of the African Child (DAC) was instituted in 1991 by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU in memory of the 16th June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa. At that time, students marched protesting the poor-quality education they received and demanding to be taught in their languages. During the protest, hundreds of schoolchildren were killed. The Day of the African Child is celebrated to commemorate these children's brave actions to defend their rights. The Day of the African Child also serves to celebrate children of Africa as well as inspire a sober reflection and action towards addressing the challenges that children in Africa face daily.

 Bunyangubu cluster celebrated the day by holding radio talkshows moderated by children to highlight efforts on the prevention of violence against children in home, community and schools. The right for children to access quality education and a violence-free environment were emphasised.

later the children held a sports event integrated with poems, songs, and sensitisation on forms of violence against children.

CHILDREN CLUBS LEADERS TRAINED AS PLATFORMS OF LEARNING AND PEER SUPPORT.

 The training started with prayer, introduction of staff members, the teachers and the students and pupils from the schools of St. John's P/S, St. Kizito P/S, St. Adolf P/S, Elizabeth, ST John's H/S and Light SSS each mentioning the post they hold in the club and school. Explanation on the understanding of the organization and the donor and the project as a whole was made to the pupils and the students. The main objective of the training was to orient and mentor club leaders to spearhead activities in their respective schools and strengthen school-based clubs as platforms for children learning and peer support in violence prevention.

students of Elizabeth, St Johnn's and Light ss 

A brief discussion on corporal punishment was made as any punishment that causes pain and discomfort to someone. Three questions were asked and the learners were put in three groups to discuss them and later present in plenary. The three questions were what a good school is, what is a bad school, Qualities of a good teacher. Learners presented about a good school as a school that has teachers who are professional, council and guide pupils, good security, and good learning environment with good structures, where students are involved in leadership and disciplinary actions, good historical background, violence free, school that has a spiritual background and participates in co-circular activities.

during discussion groups

Presentation about a bad school was made where learners discussed that it’s a school where teachers give corporal punishment to students, has absenteeism of teachers, has poor sanitation, and has bad and shabby teachers, insecurity, poor feeding of students, unfavorable rules and regulations and use of violence to solve issues. Qualities of a good teacher were discussed as a kind, exemplary, teaches children good morals, honest to pupils, self driven offer guidance and counseling to students, role model to students, provides positive discipline to learners and being a good time manager among others. More understanding on some of the points that were presented were clarified on by the facilitator.

Ways of ending violence were discussed and these included setting strict rules and regulations with representation of students, use and formulation of educative clubs, provision of guidance and counseling to students, training of teachers on ending violence in schools through use of positive discipline