Chitipa people want mobile court sessions
People in Traditional Authority Wenya in Chitipa District have asked authorities to facilitate mobile court sessions to prosecute child abuse cases.
Group village head Mfindi said this on Wednesday at Mpale ground after a three-day awareness campaign that World Vision Malawi organised as part of its Child Sponsorship Week commemoration.
He said: “We commend World Vision for the awareness which taught us a number of lessons about children’s rights, laws that protect and safeguard children as well as penalties of violating such laws.
“However, I ask authorities to facilitate mobile court sessions to cut the 85 kilometres people endure to Chitipa Boma for court trials. Right now, people spend K30 000 to and from Chitipa Boma, which is not sustainable.”
In response, Chitipa first grade magistrate Billy Ngosi, whose presentation focused on legal instruments such as the Constitution, Child Care, Protection and Justice Act, Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, said his office was ready for mobile court sessions.
He said: “I advised the community that child neglect, child abandonment, child torture, sexual harassment, child marriages and harmful cultural practices should be avoided.
“I also urged women and girls that have been impregnated and have children whose fathers are not maintaining them to sue for maintenance of the children and pregnancy.”
The magistrate assured the community that his office was considering conducting mobile court sessions in the area.
World Vision Chitipa district programmes manager Hendrix Kalanje said his office through Sponsorship project trained 103 child protection committee members, including nine group village heads on child protection.
“The initiative has borne fruits as 13 children were withdrawn from child marriages,” he said.
World Vision is implementing Sponsorship and water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Chitipa Wenya.
