MINISTER ANYAKUN PLEDGES TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILD TRAFFICKING OF KARAMOJONG CHILDREN

BY: DOREEN NASASIRA

KAMPALA

The Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, Hon. Esther Davinia Anyakun has pledged to support the stakeholders involved in the fight against trafficking and exploitation of the children of Karamoja, who are lured by the traffickers due to the challenges in the region ranging from poverty, food insecurity and limited access to social services.

The Minister made the commitment during a meeting which she held with the team from FIDA-Uganda in her Office, on Friday 10 July 2026, to discuss the emerging trends in child trafficking and how to strengthen the protection of children in Karamoja.

She commended FIDA-Uganda and all the stakeholders who are taking the initiative to combat the vice and the human rights crisis of trafficking the Karamojong Children, so that, the vulnerable minors can be protected from exploitation, modern-day slavery and abuse by the traffickers.

She applauded the efforts of FIDA-Uganda in ensuring that the children rescued from the traffickers are rehabilitated and reintegrated back into the community so that they can pursue formal education, and also for putting mechanisms in place to address child trafficking and strengthening the child protection systems.

On behalf of the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs, the Minister pledged to equip the schools involved in the “reintegration process and programme” of the child survivors of human trafficking in Karamoja sub-region with tractors for agricultural purposes.

The team from FIDA-Uganda which was led by Lilian Byarugaba Adriko, the Chief Executive Officer of FIDA-Uganda, appreciated the Minister’s collaborative efforts and highlighted the persistent and evolving forms of child trafficking and exploitation, including the movement of children within Uganda for purposes of exploitation, organised street begging, forced labour, domestic servitude, and other harmful practices. END.