Child Protection

ACCELERATING CHILD SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT 2009 Uganda’s Battle Against the Top Childhood Threats THE PROTECTIVE ENVIRONMENT SITUATION SUMMARY A close look at the MDGs in Uganda shows that not a single Goal can be achieved and sustained in an equitable manner unless the protection of children is an integral part of programming strategies and plans. Violence, abuse and exploitation can lead to death and diminished developmental capacity not only at infancybut all through childhood. Failing to protect children from such issues as conflict, violence in schools, child labour, harmful traditional practices, sexual violence, neglect or recruitment into armed groups, squanders the potential of every child to reach their full capacity. Major protection risks facing children in Uganda today: • Continued association of close to 3,000 children and young women with armed forces and groups; • Reintegration of those children released (evidence indicates that 10% of returnees have faced stigmatization; 18% have problems with family and a further 18% face injuries and health problems related to their time with the LRA); • Separation of children and other extremely vulnerable individuals from primary care-givers during the movement out of the camps to areas of return; • High levels of abuse and exploitation (including trafficking) experienced by children in north-eastern Uganda, exacerbated by both physical and food insecurity, inter-clan violence and a dearth of social protection systems; • Abuse faced by children using basic services facilities such as schools and health facilities as well as law enforcement and care institutions; • A variety of protection risks heightened by the lack of birth registration certificates (only 21% of Ugandan children have their birth registered). Regardless of the threat, UNICEF has reformulated its child protection response away from a focus on categories of children to a systemic response that focuses on the multiple causes of vulnerability faced by all children. For the Child Protection community in Uganda, child protection system at sub-county level is comprised of Structures (both government, nongovernmental and community based), Mechanisms Proportion of Sub-Counties w ith Functional CP System s and Com m unity Officers (CD0) % sub-co unties with CP system

% o f sub-co unties with CDO

100% 80% 60% 40%

© UNICEF Uganda/Chulho Hyun

Coverage of Child Protection Systems (structures, staff and mechanisms) in the Karamoja sub-region remain below 5%.

which coordinate the work and information sharing (such as referral networks, reporting and monitoring) and Staff or members of these structures must have the required capacities to handle cases with full application of protection and care standards. At the end of 2008, access to the bare minimum of child protection systems was as low as 11% in Teso sub-counties and 3% in Karamoja sub-counties. Data for the western districts is not available. (See chart for details).

PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE INDICATIVE BUDGET FOR 2009 UNICEF works at the national level and in 23 focus districts to build the capacity of the Government of Uganda to protect and further the rights of children under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 2009, the Programme will ensure: • Children increasingly realize their right to protection from violence, abuse and exploitation as 40% of children identified as vulnerable receive care and support, through child protection systems; • Children increasingly realize their right to protection from sexual and other forms of violence and exploitation, in particular, through the “Safe School Initiative” in 30% of primary school. • No children recruited/accepted into the ranks of the military or security services and all Ugandan children returned from association with armed groups and re-integrated into their communities; • Children realize their right to identity and protection as 80% of children aged 0 to 8 in 23 programme districts are registered and have birth certificates. Budgetary Requirements: 6.4 million USD • 1.2 million USD for national level advocacy, leveraging and technical assistance. • 5.2 million USD for actions in 23 focus districts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

20% 0% Acholi

Lango

Teso

Karamoja

West

Cornelius Williams Chief, Child Protection [email protected]

Karen Allen Deputy Representative [email protected]