Key Takeaways

  • Kawempe Urban Division, in partnership with Rescue One More and Cornerstone Development Africa, has launched a Community Action Team (CAT) to address child sexual abuse.
  • The Kawempe CAT is a multidisciplinary team consisting of police officers, social workers, local council representatives, prosecutors, medical and mental health professionals, Rescue One More officers, and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials.
  • Since April, the Kawempe CAT has handled 14 cases, with one case committed to the High Court, and has reached over 5,000 children through sensitization initiatives.
  • The team's goal is to bring safety, justice, and healing to children who have been victims of sexual violence.
  • Mayor of Kawempe Division, Dr. Emmanuel Sserunjoji, urged the community to speak out against sexual violence, ensure perpetrators face the full extent of the law, and organize sensitization meetings to raise awareness and protect children.

Kawempe Urban Division, in partnership with Rescue One More and Cornerstone Development Africa, has launched a Community Action Team (CAT). This new initiative is aimed at addressing the issue of sexual violence against children within the division. The multidisciplinary team, which includes police officers, probation and social workers, local council representatives, prosecutors, medical and mental health professionals, Rescue One More officers, and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials, will work together to formulate effective strategies for both responding to and preventing child sexual abuse.

Speaking at the launch, Scott Lambie, CEO and Co-founder of Rescue One More, emphasized the importance of protecting children from sexual violence. "Our goal is to bring safety, justice, and healing to children," Lambie stated. "We urge the public to speak out against these heinous acts."

Harriet Adongopiny, a representative at the event, revealed that the Kawempe CAT has already handled 14 cases since April, with one case committed to the High Court. In other KCCA divisions where the program is already operational, they have documented 194 cases in Makindye Division, 116 in Lubaga Division, and 78 in Kampala Central Division—bringing the total number of reported cases to 402. Adongopiny also highlighted the impact of their outreach programs, noting that over 5,000 children have been reached through their sensitization initiatives.

His Worship Dr. Emmanuel Sserunjoji, the Mayor of Kawempe Division, commended the team for their work so far. He urged the community not only to speak out against sexual violence but also to take a firm stand against perpetrators by ensuring they face the full extent of the law. Mayor Sserunjoji further encouraged the KCCA technical team to consider adopting the initiative for long-term sustainability. He also called on local council leaders to organize sensitization meetings in their communities to raise awareness and protect children from sexual violence.

Source URL: https://trustednewsug.com/index.php/2025/06/25/rescue-one-more-kawempe-division-launches-community-action-team-to-combat-sexual-violence-against-children/

Tags:

#Child Protection #Community Action #Kawempe Division #Rescue One More #Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)