Parliament has directed the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development to withdraw the Children’s Amendment bill 2015. This was as the Pader Member of parliament Pader County in Nebbi District Joshua Anywarach reported to parliament that the Gender, Labour and Social Development committee is ready to bring this bill to parliament but it’s being delayed by government failure to withdraw its bill from parliament.

In February this year, the then Minister for Gender, Labour and Social development Mary Karoro Okurut tabled the bill in parliament after a similar bill had been tabled by the Shadow minister for Youth and Children Affairs Bernard Atiku. The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Wilson  Muluri Mukasa while on the floor of parliament today after MPs’ concern over this bill  ,said that he is ready to withdraw it  and the deputy speaker  Jacob Oulanyah  told him to be ready because it will be included on the order paper for that matter.

Muluri  Mukasa  agreed to withdraw this bill  after government discovered that the private members bill is 99 per cent better in content than government’s bill, which would require amendment of 77% of its clauses to make it comprehensive.

The objective of the Children’s Amendment bill 2015 is to amend the Children’s Act Cap 59, to enhance protection of children; to provide for guardianship of children; to strengthen the conditions for inter-country adoption; to prohibit corporal punishment; and to provide for related matters.