23 February 2024
Kampala, Uganda – Over 100 women in Uganda have been sentenced to one month of community service for sending their children to beg in the capital city, Kampala. The women, primarily widows and single mothers, were arrested during a crackdown on street begging and confessed to the charges.
Judge Edgar Karakire acknowledged the hardships faced by the women but emphasized the importance of upholding child protection laws. He sentenced them to community service and banned them from returning to Kampala, ordering their return to their home district in northern Uganda.
The action highlights Uganda’s efforts to address the issue of street begging, which often exposes children to vulnerability and exploitation. Child protection laws in the country prohibit sending children to solicit or beg, with a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment.
The arrested children have been placed in a children’s village for care and support. While this case raises complex issues of poverty and desperation, it underlines Uganda’s commitment to protecting its children and enforcing child protection laws.
