The Child’s right defender of Bungoma County David Lupao has appealed to both Government authorities and child organizations to step up their efforts in safeguarding the girl child for she is under threat.
Speaking during the International Day of the Girl Child, he said that the threefold menace facing the girls include gender-based violence, rising HIV infections, and an alarming surge in teenage pregnancies.
Lupao added that a significant number of children have been adversely impacted by this trifecta of challenges thereby affecting their education.
Additionally, he highlighted the persistence of harmful traditional practices in certain communities, specifically highlighting the continued practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Mt. Elgon region.
Furthermore, Lupao emphasized the critical role parents and guardians play in shaping their children’s futures.
He implored them to provide their children with the necessary support and guidance to shield them from the dangers of early teenage pregnancies.
Lupao also noted the problematic trend of defilement cases being settled in informal, unofficial “kangaroo courts.”
“This perpetuates a culture of impunity, allowing offenders to escape justice and potentially repeat their offenses,” he argued.
The Member of Parliament (MP) of Kanduyi John Makali expressed his disagreement with the proposal put forth by Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary (CS) Florence Bore to close private children’s homes that do not comply with the Children’s Act of 2022 within eight years.
Makali stressed the indispensable role that these private homes play in addressing the needs of neglected minors.
He disclosed that a bill will be presented in parliament to establish additional children’s homes in the country, and he called on fellow Members of Parliament to support the initiative.
To tackle the challenges facing girls in the region, Laura Doresi, the County Coordinator for the Forum for Africa Women Educationalist (FAWE), revealed a project called the “Tuseme model” that empowers girls through school involvement.
She said that the organization is actively engaged with eight schools in Bungoma as part of this endeavour.
By Tony Wafula
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