In short
Solomon Muyita, a Communications officer of the Judiciary says at the moment there is no direct law helping these children. He says the only mechanism available especially legally is mitigation where ones lawyer can plead for a lesser sentence on the basis of having children to take care of. He also says largely its the role of the community to take care of this children.
Wells of Hope Ministries, a nonprofit organization involved in outreach to Children of Prisoners have called on Government to enact a Policy to protect children of prisoners.
According to the nonprofit organization, currently children of prisoners are not grouped under orphans and vulnerable children, which is making them continue in suffering especially with access to services like Education, food and shelter which are basic human rights.
In an Interview with URN, Ellen Eva Ssuubu, the Executive Director Wells of Hope Ministry says it's a known fact that most children get stranded when their parents get arrested, and in most cases some children take on the responsibility of being the provider.
She says establishing a policy for these children will go a long way in taking care of the innocent children whose future seems to be doomed.
According to Ssuubi, currently Uganda doesn't know the number of children of prisoners. He says as an organization they are trying to find out how many children have their parents in prison.
According to Ssubi, Wells of Hope sponsors 143 children of prisoners in school, but 35 of them are not sponsored. He says they have overwhelming requests from remaining the guardians of children of prisoners, but this requires concerted efforts.
She says some 15 children of prisoners have not been given opportunities at Wells of Hope school in Namayumba in Wakiso district due to funding challenges.
//Cue in: "With these children…
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Charles Ochopel, a head teacher at Wells of Hope Primary school In Namayumba says its not only the children who are helpless, but usually families of all the prisoners. He says in some cases the families of parents imprisoned ends up disappearing and it is the children who get affected. He says the condition is worse with some parents getting imprisoned for over 60 years.
He urged Government to look upon this case of children of prisoners and see how to support and rehabilitate them.
He says there is a great challenge in tracing up prisoners families, reuniting them and especially a problem of low income in the household.
Cue in: "Its really a…
Cue out:…An innocent child"//
According to Penal Reform International, an estimated 200,000 children have their parents in prisons in Uganda, and these children's rights get violated when their caregivers are arrested.
Solomon Muyita, a Communications officer of the Judiciary says at the moment there is no direct law helping these children. He says the only mechanism available especially legally is mitigation where ones lawyer can plead for a lesser sentence on the basis of having children to take care of. He also says largely it's the role of the community to take care of this children.
He says sometimes both parents are offenders, while in other cases the mother of the child can be either divorced or dead, and father jailed.
"This is a great concern which needs to be looked into; the way it is happening now is that the community and some members of the public are expected to help these children. There is only a provision for children who are born from prisons who are given sometimes with the jailed parents," Muyita said in an interview.
According to the nonprofit organization, currently children of prisoners are not grouped under orphans and vulnerable children, which is making them continue in suffering especially with access to services like Education, food and shelter which are basic human rights.
In an Interview with URN, Ellen Eva Ssuubu, the Executive Director Wells of Hope Ministry says it's a known fact that most children get stranded when their parents get arrested, and in most cases some children take on the responsibility of being the provider.
She says establishing a policy for these children will go a long way in taking care of the innocent children whose future seems to be doomed.
According to Ssuubi, currently Uganda doesn't know the number of children of prisoners. He says as an organization they are trying to find out how many children have their parents in prison.
According to Ssubi, Wells of Hope sponsors 143 children of prisoners in school, but 35 of them are not sponsored. He says they have overwhelming requests from remaining the guardians of children of prisoners, but this requires concerted efforts.
She says some 15 children of prisoners have not been given opportunities at Wells of Hope school in Namayumba in Wakiso district due to funding challenges.
//Cue in: "With these children…
Cue out:...a child in school"//
Charles Ochopel, a head teacher at Wells of Hope Primary school In Namayumba says its not only the children who are helpless, but usually families of all the prisoners. He says in some cases the families of parents imprisoned ends up disappearing and it is the children who get affected. He says the condition is worse with some parents getting imprisoned for over 60 years.
He urged Government to look upon this case of children of prisoners and see how to support and rehabilitate them.
He says there is a great challenge in tracing up prisoners families, reuniting them and especially a problem of low income in the household.
Cue in: "Its really a…
Cue out:…An innocent child"//
According to Penal Reform International, an estimated 200,000 children have their parents in prisons in Uganda, and these children's rights get violated when their caregivers are arrested.
Solomon Muyita, a Communications officer of the Judiciary says at the moment there is no direct law helping these children. He says the only mechanism available especially legally is mitigation where ones lawyer can plead for a lesser sentence on the basis of having children to take care of. He also says largely it's the role of the community to take care of this children.
He says sometimes both parents are offenders, while in other cases the mother of the child can be either divorced or dead, and father jailed.
"This is a great concern which needs to be looked into; the way it is happening now is that the community and some members of the public are expected to help these children. There is only a provision for children who are born from prisons who are given sometimes with the jailed parents," Muyita said in an interview.
