Police in Gulu has accused parents of encouraging early marriage among young girls by conniving with the perpetuators.
In rural Gulu, a cultural practice known as Aranga, a young girl would cost a man around Shs150, 000 and two goats.
Mr Edwin Atukunde, the OC Station at Gulu Central Police Station says, “Whenever there is a sexual offence case against children, parents normally want to cover it up.”
From January- May this year, police crime records at Gulu Central Police Station indicate that at least 226 sexual related offences against children, 203 cases of child neglect, 46 of child desertion and 91 cases of domestic violence.
Ms Mary Lameny, the Chairperson Child Protection Committee (CPC) for Bobi Sub County says parents have turned girls into a commodity which can be traded for cash.
Lameny noted that, “It is no longer the age of a girl that matters but the size of the breasts and body morphology. Once a girl clocks puberty, the parents would want to force her to marry so that they can get money and heads of cattle which are paid as dowry.”
But Lameny also pointed fingers at the police blaming them for negligence saying some officers would first allow parents to negotiate with the culprit before they can investigate such sexual offences committed against underage girls and boys.
Ms Jessica Anena, the Gulu District Senior Probation Officer says the practice is common during dry season when children are on holidays and are back with their parents.
Anena says her office is always overwhelmed with such report were girls are married off at a tender age.
According to the District Senior Probation Officer, the most affected Sub Counties are Bobi and Lakwana where between 30- 45 percent of girls are married off before the age of 18.
In Bobi Sub County, Police record between three to four cases of child marriage every month.
Ms Harriet Aloyo Nyeko, the Program Manager, World Vision- Uganda Gulu area blamed men for encouraging the practice.
Nyeko says, “Men are not seeing any value in educating girls and instead they hide behind culture to force girls into marriage. As the head of a household, men are not providing for their families and the pressure is now on the girl- child.”
Mr Tobby Odongo, 36, a resident of Bobi Sub County blamed the problem on widespread poverty that is facing the parents.
Odongo, a father of six explained that because of limited economic opportunities in the area coupled with alcoholism, parents tend to think that marrying off their daughters would pull them out of chronic poverty.
“Unless parents are made to understand that educating girls will not only empower the girl- child but the family as a whole, the practice is likely continue for many years to come,” He said.
Children in the northern Uganda however blamed negative cultural practices and poverty among families for the current high rate of early children marriages.
