The\nChurch of Uganda and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development have\nagreed to strengthen their collaboration in programmes that address children\u2019s\nvulnerability across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\ncomes at a time when the Church\u2019s Provincial Assembly declared 2019 as a year\nfor children, with focus on protecting children\u2019s rights while nurturing them to\ngrow in a desirable manner and be responsible adults in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While\nmeeting a delegation from the Church at the ministry headquarters on Wednesday,\nApril 17, 2019, the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon.\nFlorence Nakiwala Kiyingi, announced that consequently the Church of Uganda\nwould lead Day of the African Child (DAC) celebrations this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nDay is commemorated every year on 16th June by all member states of African\nUnion (AU) to specifically raise awareness on issues affecting children in\ngeneral and particularly vulnerable children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nobservance stems from the June 16, 1976 incidence where hundreds of students\nfrom Soweto, South Africa were shot by security forces while marching\nas a way to demonstrate their disapproval of the Black Education Act, which\nsegregated students based on their race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nakiwala\nnoted that the Government was glad to collaborate with the Church of Uganda\nsince its congregation consists one-third of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\ntherefore pleasant to partner with an institution that first of all has the\nmeans of mass mobilization but also the numbers to cause change,\u201d Nakiwala\nsaid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She\ncalled on the Church not to only use word of mouth but also incorporate\ndissemination of hard copies of relevant documents like laws pertaining to\nchildren, training manuals and Information, Education and Communication (IEC)\nmaterials to voice out issues relating to children\u2019s wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She\nalso handed to them copies of the current regime of laws and regulations on\nchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On\nhis part, the Children\u2019s Ministry Coordinator at the Church of Uganda, Rev\nRichard Rukundo, said their strategy was to involve all organs of the church\nlike Mothers Union, Father\u2019s Union, Young Marrieds Fellowship, Home Cells,\nChristian Women\u2019s Fellowships, Prayer and Intercession groups in establishing\nand leading Children\u2019s Ministry in the Church and Family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\nhave a Roadmap whose purpose is to position the child at the center of all\nMinistry activities through multiple approaches. We are engaging every child in\nthe Family, Schools, Church, Community and country at large,\u201d Rukundo noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\nrevealed that their choice of focus was informed by Bible teachings which\nproclaim children as gifts from the Lord and fruit of the womb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn\nWestern countries, they have realized that the problems they have of liberalism\nand loss of faith are mainly because there was a time when they stopped sending\ntheir children to Church and Sunday school. Therefore, Children\u2019s Ministry is\nvery important for the stable growth of the Church and development of a strong generation\u201d\nhe added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Statistics indicate that 11.3% of children in Uganda are orphans and half of all children are vulnerable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only 6% are safe in their homes, schools and community. Many families are also categorized as unstable and poor. Some children are separated from one or both parents due to domestic violence, abuse, alcoholism, HIV\/AIDS and other conflicts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause\nof this, very many children are suffering silently and there is no one to\nlisten and understand them. Children who go through these harsh conditions get\naffected in their physical and psychological development. But we should\nremember that no one will take care of our children better than us\u201d Rev.\nRukundo noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\nrevealed that the Archbishop, The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, in December 2018,\nwrote to all Bishops, Clergy, Lay Readers, Christians and People of Uganda\ncommunicating about the year of the Child and the deliberate drive to advocate\nfor the welfare of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\nthat letter, the Archbishop called on every congregation to establish and\nsupport Children\u2019s Ministry with clear funding for its activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\nasked for Church teams to be equipped with skills to reach out to schools,\nespecially primary and secondary schools, support chaplaincy and counselling\nservices for children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\nalso called on the Church to be the voice for the voiceless against child\nabuse, torture and neglect in homes, schools and communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Church of Uganda and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development have agreed to strengthen their collaboration in programmes that address children\u2019s vulnerability across the country. This comes at a time when the Church\u2019s Provincial Assembly declared 2019 as a year for children, with focus on protecting children\u2019s rights while nurturing them to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27983,"featured_media":9214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_paywall_metabox":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n