Speaking during the national commemoration of the Day of the African Child in Kamwenge District, Kabahenda, who also serves as the Kyegegwa District Woman MP, criticised the 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) on diapers as a policy oversight that needs urgent reversal.
“I want to implore the Ministry of Gender to work closely with the Ministry of Finance to remove tax on diapers. When vehicle drivers raised concerns, their tax was quickly scrapped. Why then are we still taxing diapers, knowing that children with disabilities rely on them from birth?” Kabahenda asked.
The tax was introduced in May 2023 under the amended VAT law, despite proposals to exempt diapers as a support measure for vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children with special needs.
Kabahenda said she intends to push for the exemption again in Parliament, stressing the importance of integrating child welfare into the national budgeting process from the planning stage not merely at the final allocation phase.
“We must stop treating children’s issues as an afterthought. They deserve to be a central part of our budgeting priorities,” she added.
This year’s Day of the African Child was marked under the theme “Planning and Budgeting for Child Care and Protection in Uganda: Progress since 2010.” The event highlighted the need for deliberate investment in child protection services and systems across the country.
Fred Ngabirano, Commissioner for Youth and Children Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, acknowledged challenges such as reduced funding but noted that policy development for child protection has steadily improved.
“Despite dwindling resources, we have made strides in formulating policies that promote the protection of children,” Ngabirano said.
During the event, the Ministry launched two key tools aimed at improving child protection: the National Training Manual for Para Social Workers and the National Para Social Workers Handbook. These resources are designed to strengthen frontline social work and enhance responses to abuse and neglect.
The tools were developed in partnership with the Bao-bab Research Programme Consortium, incorporating a sexual violence screening intervention to help identify and respond to violations more efficiently.
“We have prioritised the training and capacity enhancement of para-social workers,” said Dr. Gloria Seruwagi, Research Uptake Lead at Bao-bab.
“We are honoured to partner with the Ministry in launching these two critical tools, which will empower frontline workers and strengthen child protection structures.”
UNICEF also used the platform to advocate for increased financial investment in child protection, warning that progress could be reversed without sustained support.