western province

Rubavu — Parents in all twelve sectors of Rubavu district will soon be educated on children’s rights to lessen rampant domestic mistreatment and abuse.

Alloys Kaberuka, coordinator of Point d’Ecoute, an organization that supports street children, orphans and children from poor families, said in a meeting with local leaders Monday that massive efforts had to be made to increase the welfare of children not only in the district but all of Western Province.

"It is our responsibility to treat every child like our own,” Kaberuka said. "It is unfortunate to see most of us, including leaders, still mistreating children.

"Their own parents have in many cases gotten out of school and sent them to do hard labour for money.

Our recent research has indicated that 85 per cent of people employed to do house work are under 18 years of age.” 

The organization, he said, was doing "everything possible” to locate children currently employed in different homes in the district to educate them on their rights and the importance of going to school.

"Most of these children are mistreated, used to do difficult labour beyond their capacity and paid little money and some have been sexually harassed by either employer.”

According to district leader in charge of health and family welfare Moses Munyamahoro, the district committee in charge of fighting against HIV/Aids, together with UNICEF, was trying to reach out to children so as to give them a chance to express themselves about the problem they face in daily life.

"It is better for them to express their problems than us thinking and assuming the troubles they face in their daily life,” Munyamahoro said. "This is why we are soon electing their representatives who will pass their problems to the district authority.

This will help us know the hardships they face and the supported needed to improve their lives.”

Street children and orphans of the 1994 Genocide are facing serious problems, such as lack of accommodation, medical services and maltreatment of those that were adopted in various homes.

Sector leaders in charge of people’s welfare were asked to design a program for following up problems faced by those children and to educate them on the dangers of HIV/Aids.

Ends