11/07/2025
SPEECH FOR CSOs AT THE COMMEMORATION OF THE DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD BY MUWEI
Honourable Guests, Representatives from Government, Development Partners, Fellow CSO leaders, Community Members, and Most Importantly Our Beloved Children,
Good afternoon.
It is both a privilege and a deep responsibility for us to stand before you today, as we gather to commemorate the Day of the African Child, under the powerful theme: “Planning and Budgeting for Child Care and Protection in Uganda: Progress Since 2010.”
On this day, we pause not only to celebrate the resilience, brilliance, and potential of every African child but also to reflect on the journey we've taken as a nation, and as communities, to protect and nurture our children.
Reflections on Progress
Since 2010, Uganda has made commendable strides in strengthening the legal, institutional, and community frameworks that promote child rights. We have seen improvements in:
1. Access to primary education,
2. Expanded immunization coverage,
3. Declining infant mortality,
4. The development of the National Child Policy and the Children's Act (Amendment).
However, despite this progress, too many children still wake up vulnerable to violence, to exploitation, to hunger, and to a future they cannot define.
The Role of Civil Society
As CSOs, we stand on the frontlines in schools, health centres, households, streets, and remote communities advocating for children's rights and delivering essential services.
We have:
1. Mobilized resources for child-focused programs,
2. Held government accountable for budget transparency,
3. Provided legal and psychosocial support to abused children,
4. And trained communities in child safeguarding and parenting.
But our work is far from done.
Call to Action: From Commitments to Investment
If we truly believe in a Uganda where every child thrives, we must shift from promises to priorities in our planning and budgeting. We urge:
1. The government at all levels to allocate increased and protected budgets for child care and protection,
2. Partners to invest in grassroots innovations that respond to real child needs,
3. Parents and communities to create safer homes and schools,
4. And CSOs like us to continue engaging children not just as beneficiaries, but as active participants in shaping their future.
To the Children
Dear children, today is your day.
We see you.
We hear you.
We believe in your dreams.
We commit to walking with you from this playground in Nyondo, Nabumali T/C to the future you deserve.
Conclusion
Let this year’s Day of the African Child not just be an event, but a renewed commitment to plan better, to budget smarter, and to act faster for the sake of every child in Mbale, in Uganda, and across Africa.
Thank you. Asante sana. Mwebale naabi.
