Kween Woman Member of Parliament Rose Cherukut urged parents to closely monitor their kids’ use of digital items while they are growing up.
Uganda called on parents to control how their children use the Internet as part of its participation in the global celebration of the International Day of the African Child on Friday.
African nations were asked to implement strict measures to safeguard girls from early marriages that deprive them of the chance to succeed in the future during the event.
“It hurts to think of what young marriage puts kids through. As parents, it is our duty to safeguard them. Cherukut made the statement during the day’s festivities at Mbuya Parents’ Primary School in Kampala.
Every year on June 16, the International Day of the African Child is observed, and it is used to gauge how well African governments are doing at enacting laws that safeguard children.
The rights of a child in the digital environment served as the theme for this year’s International Day of the African Child.
The day is commemorated in honor of the 176 children who died while protesting for their rights in Soweto, South Africa in 1976.
According to Cherukut, parenting discipline begins with how parents treat themselves when they are at home.
She continued, “We must fight child abuse in our communities, especially those who put kids to work doing hard labor.”
In Uganda, 40% of girls get married before turning 18 and 1 in 4 girls over 15 have already given birth or are pregnant, according to a Save the Children survey.
Teenage marriages prevent the kids from finishing school and keep them stuck in a cycle of poverty, which makes the lives of young moms with newborns visible.
According to Stephen Asera, a senator for Buhaguzi East, the Internet poses a risk of violating children’s rights in the digital age.
According to Asera, it is past due to put in place safeguards to ensure that digital equipment, like phones, are regulated to prevent exposure to youngsters.
Asera contends that the accessories ought to be used to help the kids learn and advance their academic careers.
Cyberbullying and exposure to dangerous information or counsel, according to him, are further internet hazards to youngsters.
Asera estimates that by May 2022, there were 590 million Internet users in Africa, or 43% of the continent’s population.
The headteacher, Richard Omuwa, claimed that observing this day encourages parents to make an effort to remind everyone of the need of safeguarding all children in the community.
