Develop Legislative Agenda that Focuses on Children – Jacob Oulanyah Tasks MPs

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah has challenged legislators to desist from politicising matters of children’s rights but instead use their positions to fight for the minors.

Oulanyah made the remarks as he opened an orientation meeting on the Parliamentary Forum for Children in Wakiso.

He tasked MPs on Parliament’s Forum for Children to develop a legislative agenda that focuses on children.

“Parliament must get involved in protecting them, know the kind of problems they face so that we deal with them through petitions or motions,” said Oulanyah.

He also tasked the forum to put the policies and laws relating to children affairs together, which must form the agenda for the next five years.

The chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum for Children, Margaret Makhoha, urged legislators to speak for children and put in place laws that can protect them, as well as allocate resources to protect the rights of children.

Makhoha said the objective of the induction is to give MPs an opportunity to understand legislative frameworks supporting children and encourage them to champion child rights in constituencies.

The Aids Control Program Coordinator at Uganda Police, Dr Musa Muwonge said that one of the reasons why many cases of sexual violence are not reported is the victims’ fear to be stigmatised in their communities.

He said that lifesaving interventions like Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) work best when the victim is started on it as soon as possible.