Primary school girls in Kabarole district have added their voices to
condemn the rampant cases of violation and abuse of their rights.
They revealed that they are being defiled, raped and others denied
chance by their parents to go to school.
This is according to findings in a research carried out by PLATFORM
for the NEEDY (PLANE) a Non-Government organization advocating for the
rights of children especially the girl child in Rwenzori region.
It indicated that 2-3 girls are defiled and impregnated in atleast
every school in one term.
The victims are either ignored and dumped by the suspected defilers or
forced into early marriage by the parents.
In the Rwenzori Mountainous sub counties of Katebwa, Karangura
,Kabonero and Kicwamba our field staff discovered from the children
after interviewing them that such cases are common but leaders and
parents have not come on board to defend the rights of their children.
One of the girls said that girls are intercepted by boda boda riders
on their way back home from before enticing them to participate in
sexual intercourse, leading to early pregnancies and early marriages.
Despite such cases being reported to the parents and sometimes to
teachers, the violation of rights in the said sub counties continues
to worry the children and affect their education.
Also, the study findings indicate that young girls are denied chance
to attend classes and the priority is awarded to boys their
counterparts.
Girls also revealed that their parents were denying them luck and
those staying with step mothers were being stopped from going to
school and take food to markets.
At the beginning of first term 2015, boys registered in big numbers
at most primary schools with reports saying that girls remain at home
to do house work, assist parents in the gardens, acting as baby
sitters and others had already dropped out of school to join family
formation.
In an interview with some of the teachers, they disclosed that even at
school, girls who are allowed to study are given little scholastic
materials compared to the boys.
A teacher from Kabaate Primary school in Katebwa Sub County said that
parents have a tendency of only providing scholastic materials like
books, uniform, pens and others to boys than girls.
She also said that cultural beliefs among Bakonzo and Bamba tribes on
the outskirts of mountain Rwenzori have also hindered the girl child
education.
“Parents believe that a girl is ready to get married after clocking
the age of 12 years and dropping out of school is not a concern in
such communities, ” She noted.
One of the parents said that he has 14 children but when asked if they
all have good accommodation and all are in class, he disclosed that
boys and girls share bedrooms expressing lack of enough funds to build
a big house and educate them in good schools.