Children or young people in particular are very fragile because they don’t have much choice in the circumstances around them. They will either reap the benefits of a good system or suffer the repercussions of a bad system but can’t influence either. Children are the human resource capital that should be nurtured well if they are to be fruitful or productivity for humanity to progress well.
It is clear that creating safe communities for children is a shared responsibility for individuals, parents, communities, organizations and the government. In addition, protecting children is not only a subjection role but also a humanitarian right that calls for collective action. It is every ones responsibility to ascertain that children are safe from vices such as child marriages, child labour, defilement, abandonment, corporal punishments, exposure to pornography, school drop outs to mention but a few. Childhood should be care free, playing in the sun, not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul.
Joy for children Uganda in collaboration with Raising Voices and Child Rights Violence Prevention Fund, embarked on the community dialogues strategy in Kabarole and Bunyangabu districts. These were aimed at creating safe communities for children as a requisite for them to enjoy their rights and also grow to their full potential to realize their dreams and goals.
Over 45 communities were reached with information about the causes, effects and how to prevent and respond to VAC. Sensitizations were conducted through film shows, drama shows and meetings held at sub county levels. Also communication materials such as posters, community murals, t-shirts were distributed to enhance VAC understanding in the community. The dialogues brought together different members of the community to discuss and create a linkage from the various settings such as schools, hospitals, churches, villages, parishes, homes, markets, sub counties and the district at large.
As a result of the community dialogues and support from the sub counties, we were able to form 12 committees to spearhead the VAC prevention work in their communities. These committees are comprised of child protection committee members, village health teams, para-social workers, local council one chair persons, health in charge, religious leaders plus senior men and women. In conjunction with the community development officers, the committees have been able to conduct village level sensitizations in public gatherings such as markets, churches, hospitals and farmers’ communities.
With these interventions, community members were able to identify social and cultural norms that continue to manifest as VAC and indeed action points developed zeroed down to community members unlearning beliefs and stereotypes that endanger children especially the girl child.
At JFCU, we envision a Uganda where all children enjoy their rights, are protected and cared for and have equal opportunities to realize their full potential. This can be achieved through inclusive advocacy and engagements such as community dialogues even at the grass roots. Having a community with positive attitude and mindset towards VAC prevention directly contributes to social change and development.
