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