State Minister for Children Affairs Hon. Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi has said next year her ministry will enforce laws against violation of Children’s rights including arresting parents who deny their children the right to faith.
She said parents who leave children at home on Sundays, violate rights of those children. She said the behavior tantamount to child neglect which could lead to severe punishment.
The minister’s comments were part of her Christmas message she delivered today. Nakiwala says children have a right to faith which must be granted by parents.
“If you don’t take your child to Church, it means you have violated their right to faith” she said.
She says that come 2020, her ministry will be more vigilant in enforcement of such rights of children like never before.
Nakiwala said her ministry will also not tolerate cases of child abuse involving parents who allow their children access pornography through their handhelds gadgets. She advised parents to ensure that children access to phones is limited otherwise they may be caught up by the law.
“If you let your phone to the child and the child accesses pornography, and other social media materials that violate the rights of that child, you will be imprisoned” Nakiwala said.
Under the Constitution, children are protected against activities that are harmful to their spiritual, moral or social development.
According to the Children’s Act, child neglect means failure to provide for the basic physical, emotional and developmental needs of a child such as health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living conditions which can cause or have a high probability of causing impairment of a child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.
