Musanze - Local authorities have been challenged to mainstream principles of human rights and gender approach in the district programming, and address causes of violations of children’s rights in the rural communities.

The appeal was made by members of Joint Action Development Committee-JADF, from all sectors, of Musanze District during the opening of a three-day training that focused on social protection and integrating human rights and gender into the district planning programmes.

According to the president of JADF-Musanze, Ellie Nduwayezu, members of JADF, should monitor, and report on how the sectors incorporate human rights with in their development programmes.

‘’Abuse of children rights is associated with polygamy, and ignorance, and parents who fail to care and love their children...we have to decisively deal with the problem because it is affecting the future of the country, children need to be protected by everyone” Nduwayezu said.

Opening the training, the district Mayor Winifrida Mpembyemungu, requested JADF members and the local authorities to identify children who do not go to school, saying it has been the biggest threat to children rights.

She cautioned against child labour, saying that many parents encourage their children to work before the legal minimum age.

‘If we don’t protect children rights, then we have failed in our obligation as parents and also failed in our duty to nurture future leaders in our communities,’’ Mpembyemungu said

The training was organized by Musanze District in collaboration with the district JADF and UNICEF.

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