LOCAL LEADERS, WOMEN AND YOUTH GROUPS SENSITIZED ON PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

In attempt to increase the change a gents capacities to prevent violence against children and adolescents, Good Hope has continued to organize sensitization sessions for the women and youth groups including the local leaders who are the change agents in the two sub counties of Kisinga and Karusandara Sub County.  Good hope Foundation is working with two women groups and two youth groups which include; Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group and Kanamba youth Action for Child right improvement all from Karusandara and then St. Lucy women group and Rural Youth Initiative for Development from Kisinga Sub County.

According to the reports from the CDO and Police from Kisinga and karusandara, it was highly mentioned that child abuse, child abandonment, child abduction, pregnancy neglect as well as child labour are highly reported in these sub counties which are as a result of domestic violence, discontent couples, alcoholism as well as ignorance.

Accordingly, it was noted that many of the cases of violence against children are all within domestic setting where it was reported that child abuse and child neglect are as a result of domestic violence

Basing on the above reports, two sensitization sessions for women and youth groups including the local leaders where organized to enhance their knowledge and skills on the prevailing issues of violence against children to be in position to address violence against children and adolescents in their respective communities. The sensitization session mainly focused on domestic violence especially its forms, causes and effects, child labor, child neglect and child abuse while putting emphasis on the domestic violence Act and the child labor Act which stipulates the age and kind of work a child is supposed to do through differentiating the light and heavy work imposed on children as well as the paid and unpaid work where children are not supposed to be given paid work.

Members also discussed some indicators on how one can tell that a child is being abused forexample; abused children are ever tired, have few friends, they are always destructive to mention.

The sessions were attended by 70 members (36 males and 34 females) including the sub county chiefs, LC111, CDOs, Police, parish councilors and CBO members.

From the sessions, members came up with key suggestions on reducing violence against children and these included the following;

• Members to educate family members on their roles and responsibilities towards their children in order to reduce child neglect.
• CBO members together with the parasocial workers to begin house to house campaigns on child labor and domestic violence prevention
• Leaders also being highlighted as perpetrators of violence against children, they committed themselves to be examples in the community
• Establishing and training of children structures at village levels to help in addressing children issues.
• Integrating women economic rights in our community activities. It was mentioned that women are denied their right to own property and assets which limits their capacity to contribute towards the well being of children in the families.
•  

  

  CDO address the participants about VAC and DV

  

  C/person LCIII addressing participant in S/C Hqtrs