The 25-year-old, youngest-ever Ugandan Minister went to the remote village of Iriiri in the Napak district.

Minister of State for Karamoja Barbara Nekesa Oundo

Her visit was organized to coincide with the Day of the African Child, which is celebrated today under the theme, “All Together for Urgent Action in Favor of Street Children.”

In Uganda, it is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 street children – most live in filthy conditions in urban areas and are forced to beg to survive.

The majority of children on Kampala’s streets come from Napak district – one of the districts in the sub-region Karamoja, Ugand’s poorest  and mainly from the sub-counties of Iriiri, Lorengechora and Lokopo.

The Karamojong children -migration to the main cities is due to harsh economic and social insecurity.

A 12-year-old John-Bosco Odoto, a former street child who has returned to Iriiri said that Often, street children have left home, or have been sent away to urban areas by their own families, in the hope of having a better life, after arriving in the city, these children end up on the streets begging for money. “When it was night, I slept on the floor of somebody‟s house “When it reached morning then I would  go to beg for some money and  I would say help  for me some money.

UNICEF Uganda Country Representative. Dr. Sharad Sapra  said that there is a two-pronged approach to addressing this issue and this to ensure there are economic activities initiated in the communities, so that families can make a livelihood and ensuring  that children attend school so they can get the skills and knowledge to be employed gainfully, and to break the cycle of poverty.

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Uganda children

Addressing journalists at parliament the woman mp for Luwero district who also doubles as the chairperson of the forum said that government should ascertain resources which will directly benefit children.

She said that the resources appropriated should be matching with all pro children’s policies like domestic violence act, and the trafficking in persons. She says that with the implementation of such policies Uganda will be making a difference in the lives of street children.

Nalwanga also urged government to address the push and pull factors that cause the children to go to the streets. Among the factors pointed out are breakdown and weakening of the traditional family mechanism, unstable family environment, domestic violence and poverty.

The member of parliament for Moroto county Benson Obua Ogwal attributed the increase of street children to family breakdown and increasing poverty in rural areas.

According to the report by UNICEF there are 10,000stret children whose ages are between 0 AND 17 years old. Amongst these 89% are boys while 11% are girls.

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