An Analysis On the Law Relating to Custody of Children in Uganda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

D ECLARA TI 0 N ---------------. ----.... -------------------------------------------------------------------.------------------- ----i

APPROVAL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.ii

DEDI CATION -------------------. ------. ---------------------------... ---------------------------... -----------------.. -.. --...... iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.iv

A CR 0 NYMS. -------------------------_ -------------------.. ----. ------- __ ---------. -------------------. -----------.. ---............ v

LEGISLATIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vi

LIST OF CASES-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vii

LIST OF CONVENTIONS ............ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.ix

ABSTRACT -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Xiii

CHAPTER ONE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

AN ANALYSIS ON THE LAW RELATING TO CUSTODY OF CHILDREN IN UGANDA. I

1.1 Introduction.----------------·---------------------·-------------------· .. ·--------------------------------------------------·--· I

I .2 BACK GR 0 UNO- ..... ---------------------------------.-. ----. -----------------------------. ------.. ----------------.. -.... 2

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.--------------------------------------------------------------·----·-·----··· 5

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.-------------------------------------------------------------------------·----· .... 6

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS. ·--------------------------------------------------------------·------------------·---···--7

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------........ 7

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH.-·------------------------------------------------------------··----··· 7

1.8 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________ .......... 8

1.9 Literature review.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.... ---. 8

Introduction,-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------·-------· .... 8

1.10 CHAPTERIZA TION. ·-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------·------14

CHAPTER TWO. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------·----·-·15

THE CONCEPT OF CUSTODY OF CHILDREN. -----------------------------------------------------·----·15

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2.1INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 15

2.2 FORMS OF CHILD CUSTODY .................................................................................. IS

2.3The welfare principle ..................................................................................................... 16

2.4FACTOERS CONSIDERED BY COURT BE GRANTING CUSTODY .................... 18

2.4.1Child's wishes ............................................................................................................. l8

2.4.2Character of the parent ................................................................................................ l9

2.4.3Religious consideration ............................................................................................... l9

2.4.4Financial Ability ......................................................................................................... 20

2.4.5Judicial separation ....................................................................................................... 21

2.4.6Divorce ........................................................................................................................ 21

2.4. 7 Access by parents ........................................................................................................ 22

2.5Factors that may lead to change in custody ................................................................... 22

2.6Custodial modalities ....................................................................................................... 24

2. 7 Advantages of custody to children and parents ............................................................. 25

2.8Disadvantages of custody .............................................................................................. 25

2.9Loopholes in the law governing custody of children ..................................................... 26

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................ 28

OVERVIEW OF THE GENERAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON THE LAW OF

CUSTODY .......................................................................................................................... 28

3 .I Introduction .................................................................................................................... 28

3.2Regional and international legal framework of custody ................................................ 28

Regional legal framework of custody ................................................................................. 28

3.2.1 The constitution ofUganda ......................................................................................... 28

3.2.2The Children Act cap 59 ............................................................................................. 29

3.3 INSTITUTIONAL FRAME WORK; ........................................................................... 33

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3.3.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 33

3.3.2THE ROLES OF INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................. 33

3.3.3HOW INSTITUTIONS HAVE IMPROVED ON THE CHILDREN WELFARE .... 34

3.3.4ELIMINATING SEXUAL ABUSE AND VIOLENCE ............................................. 34

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................... 37

INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES AND RESEARCH FINDINGS ............................... 37

4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3 7

4.2Challenges experienced by these institutions ................................................................ 37

4.3RESEARCH FINDINGS ............................................................................................... 40

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................ 4 5

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................. 45

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 45

5.1RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................... 45

5 .2Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 4 7

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................... 49