Children or minors, by nature of their age, are classified under special interest groups and require special treatment and protection by the laws.
As a result, several regulations, policies, and institutions have been put in place to safeguard children against societal injustices.
Both the 1995 Constitution and the Children Act, Cap. 59, define a child or minor as someone below the age of 18 years with no legal capacity to consent and also define the rights and privileges of children.
It’s a shared responsibility of the state and the parent or guardian of the child to ensure proper upbringing and care of the minors.
The law prohibits the employment of children in any activity that is hazardous to his or her health, physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development.
It protects minors against harmful customary or cultural practices and also sets a penalty in case one breaks these set rules.
The Children Act categorically prohibits any person from exposing children to activities of a sexual nature, whether paid for or not.
It also sets conditions under which a minor can be employed by anyone, including his/her parent or guardian.
The creation of the National Children Authority, the Family and Child Protection Unit under the Uganda Police Force, civil society organizations, government programs such as Education for All, and others are all initiatives aimed at ensuring the well-being and welfare of children in Uganda.
However, despite all the efforts, the exploitation of minors is increasing at a higher rate due to a decline in societal norms and morals, political influence, an increase in science and technology, and an increase in the costs of living that have forced children to settle for short-term employment to earn a living.
Most households within our urban areas today have helpers in the name of housemaids who are minors but who know whether their parents consented to the terms of employment or someone is monitoring the conditions at work.
Politicians, their relatives, and celebrities, including musicians, businessmen, and city socialites, are all sexually abusing minors and using their supporters or fun base to muzzle the voices of those calling for justice against their crimes.
The political intolerance and tit-for-tit tendencies in Ugandan politics today have facilitated the offenders to walk away with their crimes without facing the legal consequences.
As a society, we have normalized acts that are legally and morally wrong as long as they serve one’s political interests and affect our political opponents.
