Innovation: Ending Child Sacrifice

When child sacrifice emerged as a horrifying form of child abuse in Uganda, the Child Protection Teams we support in Uganda found a simple way of preventing abductions. 

This effective, grassroots response led to our involvement in a national campaign to change the law and protect children from this abhorrent practice.

After five years of lobbying for change, in 2021, the Ugandan Parliament made the momentous decision to pass The Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Bill, specifically addressing the crime of child sacrifice.

The new law addresses gaps in existing legislation that do not adequately handle the practice of child sacrifice and ritual murder as a specific crime.

When we started working with the people living in Masese II, Jinja in 2012, children were particularly at risk of abduction and sacrifice. We helped to establish a Child Protection Team that created a strong local safety net, effectively eradicating incidents in their community. 

After this success in protecting children at a community level, together with Annie Ikpa (a media professional and the instigator of the concept of the new law), we worked with the Ugandan Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN) to lobby for change.

After a tireless campaign, the crucial landmark decision to adopt the Bill was made in Parliament to pass the Bill on May 4th 2021. Communities now have the backing of the law to protect their children.