SOUTHERN PROVINCE

HUYE — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a new project to protect children’s rights in the districts of Gisagara, Nyanza and Huye.

The pilot project which was launched in the Huye district last Friday, started with the UNICEF donating bicycles and mobile phone handsets to 20 paralegal officers who had completed short training in child protection.

The facilities, it was noted, will ease the work of gathering information on child abuse. The project, which also seeks to protect rights of the vulnerable youths, will be implemented by the Youth Association for the Promotion of Human Rights and Development- AJPRODHO-JIJUKIRWA- to operate in 20 Sectors in the three districts.

According to the association’s Executive Secretary, John Mudakikwa, the seven-month pilot project will be implemented through direct interventions and setting up mechanisms to prevent child abuse in homes and communities.

"We will set up child protection networks to intervene at grass root levels. These networks which involve different stakeholders like religious bodies, civil society organisations, local leaders and the general community will help in detection and prevention of child abuses,” said Mudakikwa.

Through the project, AJPRODHO will carry out an assessment of the current situation and needs for children facing trial or those living with their mothers in detention.

Mudakikwa, says the association will follow up cases involving vulnerable children handled by local mediation committees, local administration and the judicially.

During the same function, the 20 paralegal officers selected from local communities, who underwent the training received certificates.

The paralegals will serve as focal points for the protection of children rights in their communities.

Francois Mugabo, UNICEF’s representative at the function, called upon the paralegals to be vigilant in their work. He urged them to forge close cooperation with other associations with similar activities in the communities.

Meanwhile, participants at the function expressed fears that children living with HIV/Aids do not have access to antiretroviral drugs largely because their parents have not taken them for testing.

"This is a denial of their right to health,” they said.

Tom Mulisa, a legal officer from the Legal Aid Clinic of the National University of Rwanda, said they would soon carry out research on the plight of children living with HIV/Aids.

"The research will establish the number of children living with HIV/Aids in schools. It will also tackle the care and treatment of such cases in schools,” said Mulisa.

Alphonse Mutsindashyaka, the director of good governance in the Huye district, urged the trained paralegals to be active in their work by working closely with local authorities.

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