DNA testing having a negative impact on children – activists  

Children’s rights activists have called to a stop to a city craze of establishing the parternity of children through DNA testing, saying it is having a negative impact on innocent children. 

The recent surge in DNA testing, particularly in cases where men discover that their presumed biological children are not related to them, has led to potential harm to the children involved according to experts. 

Uganda, being a patriarchal society, links a child’s identity and clan to their father, so a change in paternity can result in a loss of identity of the child. Furthermore, the children are at risk of losing their citizenship since important documents, such as the National ID, require parental identification for registration. 

Damon Wamara, the executive director of Uganda Children Rights Network, highlights the need for stakeholders to examine this crisis and seek child-friendly solutions to protect the rights of these children. 

“The issue of DNA when I first read it, it seemed like a laughable issue but if you actually look at it in its depth, it becomes a human rights violation…I understand the position that the father is in, but in terms of looking at it from the child’s perspective, it becomes a violation. Right to identity, it becomes a right to citizenship because remember even in our country before you can get a NIN, you’re supposed to present your mother and father’s NIN or show the relationship you have with the father and mother. Without any of the two, it is hard to get a NIN,” he said. 

While DNA testing is a recent phenomenon in Uganda, traditional practices have long been used to determine lineage and parenthood. However, in the past, men who discovered they were not the biological fathers of their children often kept this information to themselves, protecting the rights of the children. 

Wamara emphasizes that children should not be victimized solely based on their biological parentage, especially in an age where adoption is recognized and accepted.

“It’s a dilemma and it’s a complex situation, but what we usually do is look at the best practice and if you look at countries that have had such situations the clearest truth is that once a person is put on the birth certificate as the father, you cannot change it because if you change it you’re destroying so many other processes…What I know in some of the countries is that yes the court will declare that you’re not the father and they will leave you with certain rights and obligations,” said Wamara. 

Margaret Makhoha, chairperson of the parliamentary forum on gender and children affairs, calls for a reassessment of existing laws to ensure the protection of children amid this crisis. She condemns women who conceal the true biological fathers of their children, causing unnecessary distress to men who have dedicated their resources and love to their families. 

“For sure it is a big challenge, it is going to be a crisis. DNA tests are good, so so good to know that this child belongs to you but it is also bad to put resources in a child who is not yours – more so when the wife has not disclosed that this woman doesn’t belong to you. That implies that there is a lot of unfaithfulness in our parents. A mother is here delivering children for another man,” said Makhoha. 

Mondo Kyateka, the commissioner for youth and children at the ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development, emphasizes that unless there are substantial doubts about a child’s identity, there is no need for parents to undergo DNA testing. 

He urges elders to prioritize the rights and welfare of children over their own interests. Mondo suggests that if DNA testing is deemed necessary, it should be conducted shortly after birth before the father has invested significant time and resources in caring for and bonding with the child. 

“I’m saying that this has become an issue of national importance like they always say on the floor of the house, let somebody raise it…Let it be debated because if 56% of our children are going to be subjected to DNAs and many of them turn out to be negative. Somebody was telling me that every month – one who works at an institution that carries out of DNA that when they carry out testing 4 out of 10 turn out negative and so if we’re going to do DNA everywhere then you know how many children will turn out without fathers and you know what that means in terms of care,” said Kyateka. 

He calls upon the parliament to address this issue as a matter of national importance, ensuring the protection of children’s rights. Additionally,  police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, has urged the public to refrain from taking videos of children who are victims of DNA tests.