According to Opio, they have registered more than 100 cases of child abuse since this year began. Seventy of these are defile cases from Abongomola, Aduku, and Inomo sub-counties. He says that they are working closely with parents, local leaders, Police and different Civil Society Organisations to address the challenge.
Kwania district Probation and Welfare
department and residents of Aduku Township cell in Aduku Town Council have
decried the increasing cases of child abuse.
Moses Opio, the district Probation and
Welfare department officer, says that many cases of abuse like child
negligence, corporal punishment and defilement among others were perpetrated mainly
by family members such as parents and relatives and the community.
He attributes the abuse to parental
negligence. According to Opio, they have registered more than 100 cases of child abuse
since this year began.
Seventy of these are defile cases from Abongomola,
Aduku, and Inomo sub-counties. He says
that they are working closely with parents, local leaders, Police and different
Civil Society Organisations to address the challenge.
//Cue in: “Ka en amito ...
Cue out: … ducu but kec.”//
He says that they are still facing the challenge of victims
compromising with the suspects with the help of local authorities. Opio says
that many cases go unreported, which gives room to the perpetrators to abuse
more children.
However, Fred Okori, the General Secretary of Aduku township
cell dismissed the allegations. Okori attributed the surge in child abuse cases to poverty and ignorance.
He cited an incident over the weekend when they rescued and handed over
a 14-year-old child from Abongomola Sub County to Kwania central police station
that was found loitering within the urban center late in the night after
escaping from home.
//Cue in: “Wan otye onwongo …
Cue out: … ebuto ipuku cavera.”//
Translation “Most parents have abandoned their children due to failed
marriages; the numbers of bustards in our community is on the surge and worst
of all these kids are starving with no proper shelter and medical care at the
expense of the clan leaders.”
According to Okori, his office registered 12 cases of child abuse between January
and March this year compared to between July and September last year when they
only registered 4 cases. He attributed the problem to the laxity of clan
members in settling family disputes.
//Cue in: “Atekere dang wan …
Cue out: … tiye agik kano.”//
Geoffrey Otim Otim, the Community Development
Officer Aduku Town Council, says that the entire town council recorded 13 cases
of child abuse in January, 21 in February and 36 cases between March and April
this year. He said they have already embarked on community sensitization
programs to address the challenge.
The
1995 Constitution recognizes the rights of the child and
specifically provides for children's right to health, right to
education, and right to protection from exploitation; however a significant
numbers of parents have reportedly neglected these responsibilities.