| Kenya is hosting Africa's first-ever | | | | Clement Ostinis, who attended the conference |
| conference about the sexual abuse of | | | | from Liberia. "We need to bring ourselves |
| children, a problem that has become one of | | | | together to understand that the child of |
| the widest-spread and most troubling issues | | | | Africa need to be developed and we should not |
| on the continent. Nick Wadhams has the story | | | | destroy their future. So the society, the |
| for VOA from Nairobi. | | | | family, the government and everybody we must |
| | | | put hands together to make sure that the |
| More than 400 delegates gathered here for the | | | | African child is properly protected." |
| start of the three-day conference, which is | | | | |
| meant to help governments and rights groups | | | | Recent studies have shown just how prevalent |
| come up with ideas to fight the sexual abuse | | | | the sexual abuse of children really is across |
| of children. | | | | Africa. In Zimbabwe, for example, one study |
| | | | found that half of all rape cases involved |
| In a speech opening the conference, Kenyan | | | | children under 15 years old. |
| Vice President Moody Awori said society is in | | | | |
| a state of moral decay, and that children are | | | | In one district in Uganda, meanwhile, one in |
| increasingly at risk of being sold, or | | | | three schoolgirls and one in six schoolboys |
| selling themselves, into prostitution. That's | | | | reported having been sexually abused, many by |
| a frequent problem in urban areas and along | | | | teachers. |
| the coast, which are destinations for foreign | | | | |
| sex tourists. | | | | Ranya Sharawi of Sudan told VOA News that one |
| | | | problem was simply that some African |
| Yet Mr. Awori also said that sexual abuse has | | | | societies do not understand what child abuse |
| some roots in traditional practices in Kenya. | | | | is, or how to keep it from happening. |
| Some communities encourage children to marry | | | | |
| very young despite national laws meant to | | | | "I think first there should be advocacy for |
| stop the practice. And studies show that most | | | | what is child abuse awareness for what is |
| children are abused by people they know well | | | | child abuse," said Sharawi. "Second, I think |
| -- members of their communities or of their | | | | the legislation it is very important, and |
| own families. | | | | third I think we should work together, all |
| | | | Africa in the same issue, so that we can |
| Delegates said that the problem must be | | | | raise and we can find solutions." |
| tackled by the government first, but that | | | | |
| it's the entire community's responsibility to | | | | Some delegates at the conference say child |
| protect children. | | | | abuse in Africa is linked to poverty. |
| | | | Children sell themselves for sex or move away |
| "The government has to start by legislation, | | | | to live with distant relatives, who abuse |
| and apart from the legislation, the society | | | | them. |
| as a whole shall be committed," said Delegate | | | | |