Uganda briefing on Day of the African Child activities

Uganda briefing on Day of the African Child activities

The Council for Economic Empowerment of Women (CEEWA)
in collaboration with Uganda National NGO Forum on
behalf of the GCAP coalition in Uganda organized civil
society events for the first GCAP White Band Day, Day
of the African Child in Uganda. Over 500 children from
within the city and from the internally displaced
camps in the war affected districts of Northern and
parts of Eastern Uganda were mobilized and gathered at
the Centenary Park in the Kampala city to participate
in the events and the street march. The gathering was
graced by the presence of the UNDP Country
Representative/UN System coordinator, Mr. Dauoda Toure
who in a brief address, called on leaders to focus on
the realization of MDGs in the national context
especially those that aim to improve the lives of
children. Mr. Toure flagged off the street march where
the children and CSO representatives wearing white arm
bands and caps marched to the national venue for the
celebration of the Day of the African Child.

In the national programme of the day, CEEWA and NGO
Forum lobbied for a slot for a civil society
intervention which was granted. CEEWA and the Forum
opted to mobilize the children to voice their concerns
using this slot as a platform. The children recited a
poem in which they called upon leaders to fulfill
their commitments espoused in MDGs and act decisively
on poverty, conflict and wars particularly in Northern
Uganda where most of them came from.

In a dramatic move, marking the spectacular launch of
the GCAP in Uganda, the children presented a White Arm
Band to the Chief Guest, the Minister of Education and
Sports Mrs. Namirembe Bitamazire as a symbol of the
GCAP Campaign and a call to Government and the
international community to make good their commitments
on MDGs. The children actually dressed the Minister
with the White Arm Band attracting a huge round of
applause and from the entire gathering!

At the venue, CEEWA and NGO Forum mounted a GCAP
exhibition stall. Key features of the stall were a
dummy that portrayed poverty as a spotted ‘Tiger’ (the
animal). The ‘spots’ on the dummy ‘Tiger’ included
‘chronic debt’, ‘high infant mortality’, ‘corruption’,
‘bad governance’, HIV/AIDS etc. The dummy attracted
strong attention from the guests including the
Minister, the UNICEF Country Representative and the
Mayor of Kampala City.

Another feature of the exhibition stall was a video
show that screened district MDG/GCAP Campaigns
recently conducted in Mbarara and Luweero districts.
In addition, a Documentary film on the alarming
poverty situation and its impact on children in the
internally displaced camps of the conflict affected
districts of Northern and Eastern Uganda was screened
for the public. MDG/GCAP campaign photographs were
also exhibited.

In her speech, the Minister retreated government’s
commitment to fulfill its obligations and commended
civil society for its increased role in demanding for
action and accountability. She said government will
remain responsive to the concerns of civil society in
all aspects of development. She called upon other
stakeholder to do their part in order for to realize
the country’s development goals and targets. The
UNICEF Country Representative made a strong call to
government to focus all its energies to addressing
development concerns of the Uganda as stipulated in
its overarching development framework the Poverty
Eradication Action Plan (PEAP). The Mayor of Kampala
city called on stakeholders to engage in more
development work focusing on the next generation. He
stressed that the issue of children is a concern and
responsibility of every citizen and organisation. He
said the City Council is committed to addressing
children development concerns.

Update by:

Deo Nyanzi
Programme Officer,
Uganda National NGO Forum
Plot 25 Muyenga Tankhill Road - Kabalagala
P.O. Box 4636, Kampala
Tel: 031-260373; 041-510272/501674
Fax: 031-260372
Mobile: 077452946
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ngoforum.or.ug