The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government is investigating reports of trafficking of girls for labour and sex, allegedly taking place in Arapai market in Soroti district.
State Minister for Gender and Cultural Affairs, Peace Mutuuzo says that the Gender Ministry is bothered about reports that parents are selling their children to strangers for as little as 20,000 Shillings. The strangers allegedly pick the girls from Arapai market and transport them to Kampala and other towns where they are deployed as beggars on the streets.
The matter first came to the limelight through a presentation on ending child trafficking and unsafe migration along the Kampala-Moroto Pathwayb, made by Dwelling places, one of the Non-Government Organization (NGO) working with street children.
According to the presentation, most of the girls sold in Arapai market are from parts of Karamoja, which are distressed by poverty, ignorance and disease, driving parents into desperation.
Mutuuzo says that the government is inspecting the market with a view of netting all people involved in the illegal form of trade.
Mutuuzo was addressing journalists ahead of the 11th International Rural Women’s Day which is scheduled to take place this Thursday in Soroti district, Eastern Uganda. The day was gazetted by the United Nations General Assembly and is celebrated worldwide every October 15, to provide an opportunity to rural women so speak out.
She said that this year’s celebrations will be based on the theme “Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment through Savings and Affordable Credit.
In 2015, the government put in place Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme – UWEP and it has since financed at least 10,502 projects for women across the country with 131,390 women directly benefiting according to a Statement by the Minister.
However, a 2018 report by the Uganda Women’s Network-UWONET indicates that Ugandan women still face poor access to health care, poverty and inequality.
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