Children on the Edge were at the forefront of the campaign to protect children from the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice in Uganda. Read the inside story...
Child sacrifice emerged as a horrifying form of child abuse in Uganda when we began working with communities here in 2012. Police records from the country highlighted numerous cases of child sacrifice and the media in Uganda was awash with stories covering the gruesome ritualised mutilation or murder of young children.
Human sacrifice cases have a very unique nature, but were historically prosecuted as murder under the Penal Code Act, or under Human Trafficking legislation, neither of which was sufficient to deal with the crime. This resulted in perpetrators committing crimes with relative impunity.
The practice of child sacrifice is rooted in traditional beliefs that the ritual murder or mutilation of children can bring health, wealth and good fortune. Children are more likely to fall victim compared to adults, because they are more easily lured and believed to be “pure”. Adults drawn to the practice are tricked into believing that the purity of a child makes the ritual more powerful.
Children on the Edge, together with Annie Ikpa (a media professional and the instigator of the concept of the Bill), our sister organisation in Uganda - Children on the Edge Africa and other civil society organisations, were at the forefront of a campaign to change the law in Uganda spanning from 2016 to 2021; when the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Bill 2020 was finally passed by Ugandan Parliament on the 4th May 2021.
Working with the police, the media and traditional healers and looking at how cases are dealt with, we focused on gaining testimonies from survivors and families. At this point MP Atiku Bernard introduced a private members Bill for the Act.
As the years passed, the campaign was joined by a strong group of other Ugandan agencies as well as members of parliament. The group worked through the meticulous process of numerous research projects, rewrites, refinements and readings. The Bill finally gained momentum in April 2021, spearheaded by Ayivu County MP, Bernard Atiku, as campaign members rallied to ensure the expeditious passing of this standalone law, before dissolution of the 10th Parliament.
The passing of the Human Sacrifice Bill was monumental; ending the horrifying practice of child sacrifice in Uganda, saving lives and making communities safer for children.
Watch the inside story of the fight to change the law and hear from those who dedicated themselves to making it happen.
