Collaborate to protect children—Ministry

M

inistry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare chief child affairs officer Martha Chiwanda Namalomba has asked for collaboration among stakeholders to protect children from abuse.

She said this on Friday at the end of a two-day Children’s Parliament in Ntcheu District organised by Save the Children.

Said Namalomba: “Child marriages remain a vice duty-bearers need to fight against. However, lack of coordination is affecting the fight against the malpractice.

“As a ministry, we are trying to ensure that we bring duty-bearers together to encourage children to participate in these spaces to demand their rights.”

Save the Children senior area operations and humanitarian manager Steve Kamtimaleka said Children’s Parliament is important as it provides a platform for children to speak about issues that affect them.

“This is an important occasion for us because we fight for the rights of children. We ensure that children are protected, given safe learning environment and are healthy,” he said.

Kamtimaleka decried forced marriages, defilement, school dropouts, and some parents’ negligence towards their children.

Inkosi ya Makhosi Gomani V said traditional leaders have developed guidelines on initiation ceremonies to prevent abuse of children.

“To ensure that we effectively protect children from various forms of abuse, we have strengthened by-laws as stipulated in the handout,” he said.

Ntcheu Children’s Parliament Speaker Favour Chindimba said they deliberated on issues such as early marriages and inadequate potable water sources in the district.

“We have agreed that duty-bearers should take action to end child marriages and supply adequate water to communities,” she said.

The Children’s Parliament was supported by Save the Children in partnership with Rays of hope, Future 4 All and the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare.