The International Day of the African Child, established by the African Union in 1991, honors the 1976 Soweto Uprising’s child activists and highlights challenges facing African children This year, the focus was on child sexual violence which has remained a silent problem in Uganda, with reports indicating that one in six girls and one in seven boys experience sexual violence before age 18.
On June 16, 2023, the International Day of the African Child, the town of Mbarara turned its attention to a critical cause of safeguarding children from sexual violence. Wezesha Girls Network together with fellow Brave Movement Members, like Raising Teenagers Uganda, Touched Minds and Goolden Voice Foundation Africa, Re-Build Scholars, Hunga Agro Centre, Youth Chaperon Uganda, Trascend Africa Foundation, The Amity for Humanity, Dream Teens Uganda under the leadership of Healing Together Uganda to commemorate the day at St. Mary’s Primary School and Katete Primary School.
The theme of the event was “United for Protection, Break the Silence, End Child Sexual Violence,” aimed to mobilize communities, raise awareness, and amplify voices against these issues affecting Uganda’s youngest generation.
Healing Together Uganda, an organization which works on healing trauma and preventing violence, hosted the celebrations, Miss Brenda the organizations Team Leader emphasized the urgency of the theme highlighting that Child Sexual Violence is rooted in silence, fear, and impunity and that by uniting NGOs, schools, and families, we can empower communities to protect children and hold perpetrators
The day’s activities were organized in a way to educate, inspire, and foster dialogue. Students from St. Mary’s Katete Primary School led the proceedings with powerful performances, poem that showed the trauma of sexual violence and the resilience of survivors and child’s journey from shame to courage after reporting abuse, emphasizing the message: “Speak up. You are not alone.”
Then it was followed by the Interactive engagement of the children with the different organizations where children learned how to identify safe adults, report incidents, and recognize manipulative behaviors exhibited by predators. Parents and teachers attended sessions on creating protective environments and responding sensitively to disclosures of abuse.
Wezesha Girls Network Uganda known for their grassroots advocacy, led a pledge drive where children vowed to “break the silence” by supporting survivors and advocating for justice. “Every child deserves a childhood free from violence,” declared Ainonugisha Mercy, Wezesha’s Girls Network coordinator “Today, we commit to standing with survivors and demanding accountability.” She emphasized
Teachers also pledged to challenge norms that normalize violence. “Silence protects perpetuators and not children,” stated one of the teacher. “We must prioritize our children’s safety over tradition.”
St. Mary’s Primary School headteacher also vowed to implement mandatory child protection training for all staff at the school “This is just the beginning,” she said. “We’ll ensure every child here feels safe and heard.”
The event’s success was due to collaboration of different organizations like us Wezesha Girls Network, Rising Teenagers Uganda and others alongside Healing Together Uganda which provided resources and expertise.
All in all, The International Day of the African Child in Mbarara was not just a celebration, it was declaration of commitment. With Wezesha and Healing Together Uganda at the top, As Uganda commemorates this day annually, we as Wezesha Girls Network Uganda are working to ensure and hoping that events like these will transform silence into action, ensuring every child’s right to dignity and safety is given to them.
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