About four million children under the age of five in Uganda live in poverty and are deprived of basic child rights, according to a new report. PHOTO | FILE
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The report cites limited access to health care, nutrition, education, sanitation, shelter, among others, as the main causes of deprivation.
Kampala. About four million children under the age of five in Uganda live in poverty and are deprived of basic child rights, according to a new report.
The report, Child Poverty and Deprivation, the figure [3.7 million] of children living in poverty represents 57 per cent of the children population in Uganda.
The findings indicate that the rate of deprivation is high in West Nile and Karamoja regions where, 68 per cent wallow in poverty followed by the central region at 60 per cent. Western Uganda which constitutes districts such as Bundibudyo, Kyenjojo and Kabalore posted 57 per cent similar to that of eastern Uganda [57 per cent].
The middle northern Uganda has a 54 per cent rate and the central which was divided into two sub-regions – central 1 and central 2, which posted 60 per cent and 56 per cent respectively.
On the other hand children in the south western region which includes Kabale, Mbarara and Kisoro, enjoy better livelihoods posting 41 per cent while Kampala posted the lowest at 22 per cent.
The report cites limited access to health care, nutrition, education, sanitation, shelter, among others, as the main causes of deprivation.
“The issue is serious, 24 per cent of these children that are under five live in extreme poverty,” noted Dr Sarah Ssewanyana, the executive director Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), the firm behind the research. She added.“The National Development Plan should strive to eliminate the disparities across Uganda. Issues pertaining to children need to be accorded more attention.” The report comes at the beginning of the child-week in which children’s livelihood is under the spotlight.
Earlier studies conducted by Unesco and Unicef in 2005 indicated that 7.7 million Ugandans were living below the poverty line, with an estimated 2.1 million children living in abject poverty. Last week, President Museveni during his State-of-the Nation address, noted that the livelihoods of most Ugandans had improved. Members of Parliament blamed government for the current state of children affairs in the country, insisting it has not done enough to tackle the problem.
“When you talk about feeding children, has the ministry of Education provided for their nutritional needs? No. Visit schools and see,” said Mr Joseph Ssewungu (DP Kalungu West) Apac woman MP, Ajok Lucy, said: “There are pockets in the north where statistics are even worse than those given in the report.
