By Rwenzori Daily
Statistics from Kasese District Probation Office indicate that over 19,000 children are annually abused at various levels.
Brian Matsande, the Head of Child Protection Unit for Kasese district revealed the development on Thursday while addressing the community members from Nyakatonzi sub-county during a community dialogue held at the sub county headquarters.
Matsande explained out of the 387,154 children in Kasese, at least 19,000 are abused by either their parents or other members of the community while over 12,000 children are abused but the cases are not reported to the relevant authorities.
According to him, only 24 sub-counties out 44 in Kasese district are known for reporting cases related to gender based violence.
Stephen Mbera, the L. C III Chairperson for Nyakatonzi Sub-county reported that his area of jurisdiction was among the leading lower local governments with high cases of gender based violence including early marriages and teenage pregnancies.
He accused some of the leaders in the area for allegedly declining to report the perpetrators to the relevant authorities so that the law takes its course.
Mrs. Aidaloy Mbabazi Syauswa, the District Councilor representing the Elderly , who represented the Education department at the function, accused some teachers of allegedly luring the learners into sexual relationships in an exchange for good marks.
Upon realizing that Nyakatonzi sub-county is among the leading lower local governments in Kasese district that are still experiencing increased cases of gender based violence, Green Home for Women in Development was forced to establish a Community Resource Centre to offer skills to the out of school girls and those that would want to acquire skills in tailoring and other vocational cases.
The Community Resource Centre was launched yesterday in the area by the Organization’s Executive Director, Selevest Masereka Bisusa.
Masereka told the parents and other stakeholders who had gathered at the sub-county headquarters that they decided to establish the centre to curtail the learners from loitering at the trading centre as well as empowering the victims of teenage pregnancies.
He subsequently handed over five sewing machines to the sub-county leadership to have the programme officially started.
