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Please help: Uganda has two million orphans

posted on Sunday, October 18, 2009 09:34 AM

OVER 2.5 % children are total orphans and 46 per cent of them are estimated to be affected by HIV/AIDS, a government report shows.

The report by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development on the status of orphans and other vulnerable children in Uganda shows that districts in the northern region have the highest proportion of orphans and vulnerable children.

These are followed by the districts of Kalangala and Rakai from the central region, while western districts have the lowest number.

The proportion of the orphans has been increasing since 1999 with 15% of children below the age of 18 years.
The report indicates that the increase is due to the effects of HIV/AIDS. About 45% of the orphans are as a result of the epidemic.

Approximately 45% of the orphans below the age of 18 years in the country are vulnerable and need support and care.

The report notes that there are still high numbers of school drop-outs, in spite of programmes like Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE) and the many non-governmental organisations.

It attributes the high number of drop-outs to poverty, especially in the north and east. Kiboga and Rakai districts, however, reported a good number of organisations abiding by the principles of providing quality services.

It states that since the late 1980s, Uganda has recognised that the HIV epidemic was contributing to an increase in the number of orphans in the country and straining the capacity of directly and indirectly affected households (those taking care of orphaned children).

The report also points out that one in every five children in Moroto and Nakapiripit have been subjected to child labour.

The Commissioner for Youth and Children Affairs in the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, Willy Otim, told participants at a one-day workshop on orphans and vulnerable children at City Royal Hotel in Bugolobi yesterday, that there was still limited support to orphans and vulnerable children.

“We have more than 4,100 CSOs in support of OVC but are not spread our well. Some areas have no service providers which is while others do not do what they are expected to support these children,” Otim said.

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