The Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Emma Kantema, said her ministry will continue to train Early Childhood Development (ECD) daycarers to raise awareness of violence against children in their classrooms.

She also assured the house that the ministry will improve and work on the construction of playgrounds within communities and schools that are child-friendly and safe from crime hotspots.

Minister Kantema was responding to questions and concerns raised by MPs on the alarming rise of violence against children.

Members also raised concerns about critical vacancies that need to be filled for social workers who have long worked as volunteers and no longer see the need to, arguing that at such a time when violence against children is so high, more social workers need to be employed and need to go through training.