Last week marked a significant step in our ongoing commitment to safeguarding children’s rights and preventing sexual violence against them. From 21th to 23th March 2024 the Uganda Child Rights NGO Network, in collaboration with ERIKS, started a series of HAKI trainings aimed at empowering children from vulnerable communities to become advocates for change.

The start of this initiative came from the troubling statistics that flooded Uganda’s media outlets, showing the harsh reality of child rights violations and the rise in teenage pregnancies, especially during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These discoveries pushed us to action, leading us to identify four areas with the highest occurrences of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) violations, particularly seen in child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

Busoga stood out as the main area, with 89,347 reported cases, followed closely by Tooro and Bunyoro. With this data in hand, UCRNN, in partnership with ERIKS, decided to strengthen the abilities of 1,500 children across ten HAKI children’s clubs to serve as agents of change in their communities. This effort aimed to encourage equal participation among boys and girls, recognizing the important role both genders play in advancing child safeguarding concerns.

The recent training sessions conducted by UCRNN staff focused on improving the skills of 200 children from four Haki clubs in the Busoga region. Using our partnerships with Civil Society Organizations, Sole Hope and Game Connect, we gained access to four primary schools, with Sole Hope contributing one school in Jinja and Game Connect facilitating three schools in Iganga.

We were pleased to see the active participation of the children during the training sessions. Their enthusiasm was palpable, and we hope they found the experience both informative and enjoyable. Our aim is for the knowledge they gained to stay with them, and for them to share it with their peers. By doing so, they can become ambassadors for change in their communities, spreading awareness and advocating for child rights. As we move forward, we look forward to seeing the positive impact these empowered children will have on their surroundings.

As we look back on the results of these trainings, we remain strong in our belief that investing in children’s agency is not only important for their individual well-being but also essential for creating resilient and inclusive communities. By amplifying their voices and boosting their ability to act, we are laying the foundation for a future where every child can thrive free from the difficulties of exploitation and abuse.

Going forward, UCRNN is committed to expanding these efforts, reaching more communities and deepening our impact on the ground. Through continued collaboration with our partners and consisted dedication to our mission, we are confident that together, we can create a safer and fairer world for all children.