Parents, guardians blamed over sexual violence during Covid-19 lockdown

Non-Governmental Organisations and child rights pressure groups have decried the increase in cases of  child sexual violence which peaked during the lockdown. The child rights advocacy groups met in Kampala’s Hotel Africana to find remedies for the increasingly unwarranted vice.

Greg Lavender, Plan International Uganda Head of Programmes, said 80% of girls live in the rural areas, where about 30 per cent of them are indirectly subjected to sexual violence by their parents, uncles or guardians due to economic hardships brought about by COVID 19.

“Underage girls who happen to be school going and are currently seated at home, fall prey to sexual violence from parents and guardians who encourage them to get married so as to bring in dowry. Poverty in the rural areas is a driving force towards violation of girl children rights to education”, he said.

He cited the district of Kyegegwa, where household poverty has driven some parents to marry off their underage girls.

Annabelle Ssebakijje, a Child Rights Advocate, called for collective sensitisation of parents, the guardians and the community against the vice.

“We need to empower Village Health Committees (VHTs) at every district to sensitize concerned parents about the socio economic danger of subjecting underage girls to sexual violence," she said.