Uganda

Save Lives International have started working relationship with Centre for Hope and Life in and after Prison Initiatives – Uganda (CHALAPI-UG).

CHALAPI-UG is an indigenous not for- profit human rights advocate Community Based Organization (CBO) operating in the Rwenzori region, with its Head offices in Kasese Municipal Council – Kasese District, Uganda. It is legally registered with Kasese District Development Network, Kasese District Community Development Services department and Kasese Municipal Council to focus on community advocacy for protection and promotion of human rights, freedoms and dignity for prisoners, women, youth, children and disabled people.

Our joint relationship is to support and save lives of over 1,500 children that were left parentless, suffering and unattended to in the Rwenzori region, 706 children in Kasese District and 794 children in both Bundibugyo and Ntoroko districts. Of which 250 children were below 5 years, 617 were school going girls while 633 children were school going boys, all from 240 households. This critically calls for our serious strategic livelihood restoration interventions as Good Samaritans without Borders (GOSABs).

Peace, unity and stability in the Rwenzori region have not been enjoyed by local people at all times. Political and cultural leaders have completely misled, oppressed and suppressed ​their subjects by fronting their selfish interests. Restoration of livelihoods, harmonious co-existence and reconciliation in the Rwenzori region, Kasese District in particular, has never been realized because of poor information flow about roles and responsibilities of stakeholders on children rights, ignorance of constitutional rights, non-compliance on legal requirements by state, satanic magic and co-existence obligations hence continued insurgencies, imprisonment and death of innocent citizens especial children and disabled people.

Innocent children become victims of wars in the poor society, leaving bigger numbers of unsupported and suffering orphans as a result of rampant killings, there is serious need for our intelligent interventions to restore OVC’s livelihood, promote reconciliation, advocate for improved social justice and co-existence in Kasese District and Rwenzori region. Save Lives International and CHALAPI-UG are working together to intensify community outreaches to the affected families for bereavement counseling, compassion, love and evangelism.

We have launched an intervention project to improve OVC’s livelihoods and dignity through give a piglet initiative, a revolving system sought to benefit the bereaved families for quality education, nutrition, healthcare and income generation, and amicably address most common societal challenges.

Nigeria

CHILD FORCED MARRIAGES IN NIGERIA
Save Lives International Bulletin

Save Lives International is calling on the Nigeria government, Law makers, Law Enforcement Agencies and Judiciary to safeguard Nigerian female Children from forced marriages and sex exploitation in the country. Nigeria government signed to the international instruments to protect children from harm of any form. The Nigerian Child Rights Act, passed in 2003, to protect the children’s rights but it has not lived up to its responsibilities since then.
On 20th November 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), whilst the OAU Assembly of Heads of States and Governments adopted the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (CRCW) in July 1990.
Nigeria has signed both International Instruments and had ratified them in 1991 and 2000 respectively. Both international instruments contain universal set of standards and principles for survival, development, protection and participation of children. It reflects children as human beings and as subjects of their own rights.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) outlines the human rights to be respected and protected for every child under the age of 18 years and requires that these rights are implemented.
The problem of child forced marriages is a global one which is not relenting in its incidences over the world. In fact its practice cuts across ethnicities, cultures, religions and countries all over the world. Latest Statistics placed Nigeria as one of the 20 countries in the world with the highest rate of child forced marriages; and 43% of women between 20 – 24 years old now were forced into marriage in their early teens. Some were abducted whilst some of them were forced into early marriages by their families. 
In either situation, there are robust and increased research evidences that these practices have severe psychological, physical, developmental, social and educational limitations on the quality of lives of these children. Therefore, if this practice is not curtailed, it would mean an increase in the number of child marriages with an estimate by “Girls Not Brides” of about 1.2 Billion children will be forced into child marriages in the next 30 years.
SaveLives International is a leading Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with a vision and focus of supporting children and young people in our regions of operation to improve access to quality health and social care, reduce/prevent poverty, poor nutrition, low achievement and promoting their social, physical, psychological, and bio-physiological development in order for them to develop as normal as possible and achieve a quality of life that is productive and self fulfilling.
We are working with regional governments, institutions, Lawyers, NGOs and interested philanthropists to ensure that the factor contributing to child forced marriages are eradicated through various planned activities over the next 5 years in Nigeria:

1. TAKE ACTION NOW – we call on everyone, especially youth to support our campaign of eradicating child forced marriages by writing to their respective local law makers and law enforcement agencies in protest against child forced marriages and sex exploitation. Also, click the LIKE button of this bulletin on our  Facebook page.
2. Increased seminars and education of children and young people in our schools starting from age 11 in our secondary schools. We hope to run series of educational programmes in secondary schools in Nigeria to raise awareness in the children from age 11 and encourage them to come forward.
3. To provide training and educate teachers who are closer to the children in the schools
4. Awareness rally in different regions in Nigeria; especially in market places where vulnerable members of the communities are found.
5. Provision of Support Centres by our regional centres to support the children and families that have been affected by child forced marriages. There are ongoing and unchecked practices mainly because the families affected are vulnerable and feel scared to come forward owing to perceived sense of incapability of the law to protect them.
6. Liaison meetings and education of community and religious leaders who can support in helping the organisation target vulnerable families for intervention by Save Lives International and its allies
7. Lead and support pressure group operations in enforcing the rule of law on offenders. Save Lives International committed to work with the law enforcement agencies, Judiciary and National Assembly in Nigeria to implement ‘The Child’s Right Act 2009  in order to eradicate Child forced marriages in Nigeria.