Every child, irrespective of status, has the right to fully realise his or her potential so that they effectively and meaningfully contribute to the development of society.

In view of this, it is disheartening to learn that children living with disabilities, especially the girl-child, continue to suffer abuses perpetrated by some misguided individuals who take advantage of their (the children's) physical status.

For some time now, there have been heart-rending stories in the media concerning some depraved men who, in their warped reasoning, believe that having sex with a girl with disabilities will cure them of the incurable disease, Aids.

This is not only sinking low, but it is also utter brutality.

What these callous men on the prowl engage themselves in does not only make the girl-child living with disabilities risk contract HIVbut also traumatises them. Such a girl cannot comfortably soldier on with her ambitions to become a nurse, teacher, lawyer or journalist.

We, at The Sunday Times, slam such acts that only thrust the girl child living with disabilities and society at large into a state of doom. We hail an expert in a Nac-funded programme who disabused this practice as a "myth".

Let the girl-child, whether living with disabilities or not, enjoy her rights to the full. She should not be a victim of some sadistic beliefs.