The ministry of education in South Sudan’s Yei River State has formed a technical committee to work on children’s rights and promotion of girl child education.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, the state education minister, Peter Butili Farajallah said the ministry and partners recorded several cases of abuses against girls.

He said the 15-member committee comprises of personnel from the police gender desk and the education ministry.

The committee, he added, has been tasked to monitor, document and report cases of abuses against children.

“The committee is to examine legal instruments on protection of children, particularly rights of the girl child and the role of the police gender desk in protection of sexual and gender-based violence and girl child rights,” said Butili.

He added, “We have also discovered that some officials in the NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations] impregnate girls, some are security personnel and traders in the market”.

Butili further said the committee will also ensure teachers in both primary and secondary schools sign the professional code of conduct law, adding that any teacher who violates child rights will be punished according to that law.

“We want to arrest the situation by enforcing discipline in schools with punishments. If we found such cases, we will refer these cases to the police gender desk and the court and the culprits will be brought to books,” he stressed.

Article 17 of the South Sudan constitution defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, and further states that the best interests of the child will be protected in all matters related to his or her life.