Working everyday to change attitudes and practices that affect children's safety and welfare
The Child Help Line Number are 0800 111 222 and 0800 111 333
On 19th of September 2005 uganda telecom, DED and The Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN) announced the launch of the first toll free help line. The Child Help Line enables children to get counseling over the phone regarding sexual and physical abuse. This is a significant step toward the fight against child abuse.
Child abuse is on the rise and the recent cases are much more than simply isolated incidents, instead, they are symptoms of deeply-rooted social problems that will not go away on their own. The social problems underlying such tragic occurrences must be urgently analyzed and dealt with by the Government of Uganda, her partners, communities and educational institutions.
As our contribution towards this venture, uganda telecom provided the Toll Free Help Line and ensures the monitoring, functioning and provision of technical services while DED and UCRNN ensures that the counselors provide professional and satisfactory help to the children.
The Ugandan government and other institutions are identifying various avenues for addressing child abuse. These avenues range from redefining acts /regulations on child abuse, importing DNA machines for identifying defilers and establishing 'Help Lines'.
This toll free Child Help Line is a major contribution towards increasing the public's awareness of child sexual and physical abuse in Uganda and also serves as a platform for debate.
Children being abused now know that someone cares enough to listen and that the Child Help Line can be their lifeline. The Toll-Free Help Line is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and depending on the amount of traffic, the line may become available 24 hours a day.
We trust that this service illustrates to professionals and the public that for damaged and desperate children, telephone help line counseling is as valuable as face-to-face counseling.
