Teso North: Sub-County Advisory Committee on Children’s Welfare is sounding the alarm over the increasing cases of negligence which have left many children vulnerable, pushing some to shoulder parental responsibilities at a tender age. The subcounty has 72 percent of the entire county’s reported cases, out of which the 443 children’s cases cumulatively captured in the last 7 months, a staggering 317 cases are linked to neglect. This significantly overshadows other pertinent issues such as defilement, contested paternity, and physical violence.

According to Kenya News Agency, speaking during the committee’s quarterly meeting at Amagoro, the Sub-County Children’s Officer Patrick Mukolwe voiced serious concern about the growing issue, pointing out that negligence is contributing to related problems like child trafficking, child labour, and rising school dropout rates. ‘We’re seeing a troubling pattern where children are being abandoned or not given the care they need. This kind of neglect puts them at risk of exploitation, including trafficking and leaving school prematurely,’ he said.

Mukolwe explained that the committee’s responsibility includes but is not limited to discussing the protection and welfare of the child, the promotion of child rights and children’s issues, education on children’s rights, and mobilizing funds that support children in difficult situations within the sub-county. He further revealed ongoing partnerships with organizations such as World Vision and the Free Pentecostal Fellowship of Kenya (FPFK) among other organizations to systematically solve communal problems through community-based approaches.

‘We are in the process of equipping 20 community members with paralegal skills to respond to child rights violations at the grassroots level. Furthermore, we have developed awareness programmes for schools that teach children their rights as well as how to report abuse,’ he said.

The sub-county medical officer of Health Catherine Opata echoed these concerns, calling for a blend of different sectors to work in multi-sectoral approaches for the protection of children. ‘As a health department, we’re seeing the true effects of neglect, such as malnutrition, untreated wounds, and mental health difficulties. Excellent coordination of child protection with health, education, and social services is therefore very critical,’ Opata emphasized. Also, she called on the parents and guardians to take an active role in their children’s mental and physical health.

To address the cases of child neglect and abuse, the committee opted to bolster community participation and strengthen collaboration with local government, civil society, and NGOs.