KAMPALA: The High Court in Kampala has lifted the ban on sex education that had been imposed by Parliament in 2016.
Judge Lydia Mugambe in her ruling issued early this week said failure by the Ministry of Education and Sports to put in place a policy regarding sex education has exposed children and young people to health risks.
“Based on the above, I find no justification and the inordinate delay or omission of over 10 years to develop a comprehensive sexuality education policy in Uganda is a violation of Uganda’s obligations under international law and the constitution,” Justice Mugambe ruled.
“Accordingly, the ministry is directed to develop a comprehensive sexuality education policy. In so doing, it must identify and work with the breadth of relevant stakeholders and address all issues competently,” she added.
Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), an NGO filed the case against government after Parliament in August 2016 directed the Education ministry to ban the teaching of sexuality education in schools.
CEHURD had objected to the delay by the ministry to issue comprehensive sexuality education policy and the ban by Parliament without alternatives for the same.