Following SP’s urging, government will take action against Ugandan children’s prisons
Following SP’s urging, government will take action against Ugandan children’s prisons
26-10-2012 • Urged to do so by SP Member of Parliament Jasper van Dijk, Secretary of State for Development Cooperation Ben Knapen has promised to take action on behalf of street children interned in Ugandan prisons.
Van Dijk’s call on the government was prompted by a report about the Kampiringisa children’s prison on the current affairs television programme Nieuwsuur . The report concerned the work of a Dutch-Flemish organisation which is attempting to free as many of the children as possible, taking them instead to an orphanage.
‘Uganda is one of the Netherlands’ so-called partner countries,’ Van Dijk explains. ‘This year alone we are donating over €27 million, a large chunk of which is aimed at improving human rights and the rule of law. So it’s unacceptable that in this same country, street children convicted of no crime are being held under atrocious conditions in children’s prisons.’