TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i
APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................................................................................................. v
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... vi
ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................... vii
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ viii
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................ 1
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1
I .I Background ................................................................................................................................ !
1.2 Statement of the problem .......................................................................................................... .4
1.3 Purpose of study ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... .5
1.5 Scope of the study ...................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.1 Content scope .......................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.2 Time scope .............................................................................................................................. 6
1.6 Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 6
1.7 Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 7
1.7.1 Over view ................................................................................................................................ 7
1.7.2 Related Literature ................................................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER TW0 ......................................................................................................................... 10
CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE; CONCEPTUAL AND
INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION ......................................................................................... 10
2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. ! 0
2.2 The concept of childhood ........................................................................................................ 10
2.3 Concept of child sexual abuse ................................................................................................ .13
2.4 Concept of child sexual exploitation ....................................................................................... 14
2.5 International and regional protection against sexual abuse and exploitation ......................... .15
2.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 18
FAMILY, CULTURE AND CHILDREN'S RIGHTS; AN OVERVIEW ............................. 18
3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 18
3.2 The family defined ................................................................................................................... 18
3.3 The family under internationallaw .......................................................................................... 19
3.4 Culture .................................................................................................................................... .20
3.5 The family, culture and observance of children's rights ......................................................... 21
3.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 22
[iii]
CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................... 24
CULTURE AND THE RIGHT OF THE GIRL CHILD NOT TO BE SEXUALLY
ABUSED AND EXPLOITED ..................................................................................................... 24
4.0 lntroduction .............................................................................................................................. 24
4.1 The experience of the girl child soldiers .................................................................................. 24
4.2 Application of Current Legal Standards to Girl ..................................................................... .25
4.2.1 The Convention on the Rights of the Child .......................................................................... 25
CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................................... 28
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 28
5.1 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 28
5.2 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 29
5.2.1 Socio-economic measures .................................................................................................. .30
5.2.3 Mandatory reporting of all cases of sexual abuse ................................................................ .32
5.2.4 Mandatory registration of all marriages ............................................................................... .33
5.2.5 Educational measures .......................................................................................................... .34
5.2.6 Legal measures .................................................................................................................... .35
BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... .36
ABSTRACT The study aimed at observing the sexual exploitation and abuse of the girl child tlu·ough cultural practices in Uganda. Recently the state has acknowledged the problem of sexual abuse and exploitation of the girl child and has indicated the willingness to step up campaigns against it. This campaign, however, targets school children in primary and secondary schools. There has also been an increase of sexual abuse of children in schools by the teachers and other staff members. The family as an institution has facilitated child abuse and exploitation in Uganda through cultural practices and customs as a survival tactic. Some commentators have directly linked the revival of these cultural practices to the economic crisis that has resulted in food shortages around the country. These traditional practices include the man-iages of the child to older men in exchange for food or money known as pledging a girl into marriage and virginity testing. Some of the practices are, however, not directly linked to the prevailing economic crisis, but are just practiced as a tradition. These practices have become more common amongst the Baganda, the largest tribe constituting at least 76% of the population, and predominantly patriarchal. Theorists of patriarchy have directed their attention to the subordinate status of women and found their explanation in the male need to dominate the female. Although Uganda as a state has shown a commitment to protecting children against sexual abuse by enactment of laws criminalising involvement of the girl child in prostitution, incest and rape of girls, little has been done to ensure that forced and early marriages of the girl child are cmiailed. Virginity testing is not criminalised and is also currently being practised in rmal pmis of the country on a wide scale .... Chapter one introduces the problem of child sexual abuse and exploitation of the girl child as a universal problem and gives a structure of the study. Chapter two discusses the concept of a child, sexual abuse and exploitation as a human rights problem. It analyses the protection of children under international human rights law. The legal framework protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation and the shortcomings will be highlighted. The impact of such sexual abuse and exploitation on the overall development of the child will also be discussed. Chapter five makes recommendations by looking at the developments from other countries on the rights of the girl child and cultural practises that result in sexual abuse."
, N (2022). Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of the Girl Child Through Cultural Practices in Uganda. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-of-the-girl-child-through-cultural-practices-in-uganda
, NAMBOOZESARAH "Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of the Girl Child Through Cultural Practices in Uganda" Afribary. Afribary, 26 Jul. 2022, https://afribary.com/works/sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-of-the-girl-child-through-cultural-practices-in-uganda. Accessed 14 May. 2024.
, NAMBOOZESARAH . "Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of the Girl Child Through Cultural Practices in Uganda". Afribary, Afribary, 26 Jul. 2022. Web. 14 May. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-of-the-girl-child-through-cultural-practices-in-uganda >.
, NAMBOOZESARAH . "Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of the Girl Child Through Cultural Practices in Uganda" Afribary (2022). Accessed May 14, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-of-the-girl-child-through-cultural-practices-in-uganda