Gulu, Uganda:– Authorities at Gulu Remand Home have called on parents and guardians to maintain regular contact with their children in custody, stressing that emotional support from family is critical for the children’s rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.
Speaking during a Reunion Day event held on Wednesday, October 1, at the remand facility, Ms. Catherine Aselo, Officer-in-Charge, expressed concern over the consistently low visitation rates, particularly on court hearing days. She warned that neglect by parents undermines efforts to reform the children.
“Don’t neglect your child after they’re placed in our facility. Visit them, show them love, and help them recover from their mistakes,” Aselo said. “Some children have never received a single visitor since their arrival, which is heartbreaking. We are doing our best to guide them, but we are severely understaffed.”
Gulu Remand Home currently houses 56 juveniles. 54 are boys and 2 girls though exceeding its official capacity of 54, which is designed to accommodate 27 males and 27 females. According to Ms. Aselo, most of the juveniles are facing serious charges, including murder, aggravated defilement, rape, burglary, and theft.
She added that a breakdown of the facility’s vehicle in September had further delayed justice for many of the children, especially those from outside Gulu City, as the home has been unable to transport them to court sessions.
To ease congestion and enhance rehabilitation, Ms. Aselo said the facility recently referred 61 juveniles mostly repeat capital offenders to Kampiringisa National Rehabilitation Centre in Mpigi District.
The event, which was supported by Hashtag Gulu, brought together parents, social workers, and community advocates from Acholi and Lango subregion to encourage deeper parental involvement in the lives of children in conflict with the law.
Ms. Anna Atala, a parent from Oyam District, appealed to the children to use their time in custody for personal reflection and positive change.
“Many parents make sacrifices to keep their children in school, only to be shocked by their behavior influenced by bad peer pressure,” she said.
Mr. Odoch David, a para-social worker from Lamwo District, criticized what he described as growing parental neglect, especially when it comes to supervising children’s movements and peer associations. Meanwhile, Ms. Acaa Corinna, another parent, pointed to increasing family breakups and domestic instability as major drivers pushing children into conflict with the law.
“Rehabilitation works best when parents are part of the process,” Aselo emphasized. “Some children are in trouble because their parents are simply absent in their lives.”
To help bridge the emotional and psychological gap, Hashtag Gulu, in partnership with Watwero Dance Company, is implementing a project titled “Art for Community Transformation”. The initiative uses drama, music, dance, skits, and critical thinking exercises to help juveniles process trauma and regain a sense of dignity and identity.
Mr. Opio Isaac, Project Coordinator at Hashtag Gulu, said the lack of parental visits often leads to emotional distress among juveniles, sometimes resulting in recidivism.
“We’ve seen that children who go unvisited tend to develop anger and are more likely to reoffend. That’s why we organize biannual family reunions, where we facilitate transportation, share meals, and create a safe space for parent-child bonding,” Opio explained.
Hashtag Gulu, established in the post-war period to support children and youth live and work on streets due to the impact of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency, now operates across eight districts in the Acholi subregion, focusing on rehabilitation, reformation, and reintegration of vulnerable youth.
As part of the reunion day activities, Watwero Dance Company and Hashtag Gulu donated traditional musical instruments such drums, xylophone, and calabashes to support the facility’s occupational therapy program for the children.
According to the 2017/2018 Annual Statistical Report on Remand Homes, Uganda had 1,388 juveniles in custody, with 90.7% being boys, across six facilities: Arua, Fort Portal, Gulu, Ihungu (Masindi), Mbale, and Naguru.
Despite the Children Act, which mandates separate facilities for child offenders and prioritizes the protection of their rights, Ms. Aselo noted that systemic challenges persist, especially due to limited government funding and staffing shortages.
She appealed for continued support from development partners including Hashtag Gulu, Don Bosco, and World Embrace to ensure the children receive the care, education, and guidance they need to rebuild their lives.
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