Child Rights Clubs in Uganda - The Eyes and Ears of their Peers

Children on the Edge support six Child Rights Clubs across Jinja and, more recently, Karamoja in Uganda. 

Child Rights Clubs are given training on rights, responsibilities, how to work hand-in-hand with local Child Protection Teams and how to prevent instances of child labour, exploitation and abuse. ​ They then take their training out to a wider audience of children in their communities. 

Social Worker Babra Nandawula says:

“Child Rights Clubs are the eyes, ears and mouths of the voiceless children in their communities.”

Milestone moments and praise for the clubs have included:

• When a trafficker came to one Karamoja community, she came across a group of female Child Rights Club members who told her to wait so they could get more girls for her to take. They ran to a Child Protection Team member who alerted community members, then they gathered together and started shouting. The trafficker was arrested and handed over to the police. 

• Loco Child Rights Club spent a month working with girls in their community who were loitering and getting into trouble. When change came, the local council Chairperson said,  “I never thought a child could make a difference in someone’s life until I saw it here with the Child Rights Club”. 

• After witnessing a reduction in abuse incidents in his community, the Community Liaison Officer from Jinja Police described how, “The collaborative efforts of the Child Protection Teams and Child Rights Clubs in communities where both exist have been a great pillar in restoring hope and dignified living where abuse had occurred”. 

• Child Rights Clubs work to encourage school attendance, with great success across the different communities. One mother said:

"My daughter refused to go to school until her friend from the Child Rights Club explained the dangers of street life. She then asked to attend school and now behaves well at home. I'm grateful for this programme because it has changed my child's life."