Uganda: ‘Lack of birth records fueling child sexual violence’
Published: 19/Jun/2017
Source: New Vision (Uganda)
By Jeff Andrew Lule
Statistics indicate that 40% or 3,000,000 children under the age of five are not registered at birth.
KAMPALA – The failure to have birth information of all children is to blame for the increasing sexual violence against young girls, child activists have said.
Lack of birth records gives an upper hand to the perpetrators to go off scot-free since there is always lack of concrete evidence to prove the age of those sexually abused.
Speaking to the media in Kampala, the head of health and nutrition at Save the Child Uganda, Dr. Patricia Pirio said without birth registration, it makes it difficult for police to investigate the case of defilement to conclusion, because there must be proof of age of the victim.