Central West Region Police Deputy Commissioner Vallie Phiri has assured people of Mchinji District of children’s safety through partnership with various stakeholders.
He said this on Saturday at Chimteka I Primary School in Traditional Authority (T/A) Simphasi during an awareness meeting involving police, district social welfare officials, education officials, civil society organisations and community members.
Said Phiri: “Violence against children and gender-based violence [GBV] are still high but as police, along with our partners, we are doubling our efforts to combat these vices.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to protect our children from all forms of abuses. We know some are being trafficked into neighbouring Zambia where they work in farms under vile conditions and it is our responsibility to rescue them.”
On her part, Women’s Hope for Change executive director Helen Nhlane Makukula underscored the need for such awareness campaigns towards child protection and the fight against GBV.
She said: “These meetings are critical, especially in T/A Simphasi where defilement, GBV are rampant. As friends of police, we joined hands with our partners to disseminate messages to ensure that children and women are protected from violence.”
Makukula, however, asked authorities to extend Mchinji Victim Support Unit structure to also accommodate male victims of human trafficking rescued either in transit or at the border.
On his part, T/A Simphasi commended the police and stakeholders for the awareness meeting, saying it will help his communities to ensure safety.
Meanwhile, Malawi Police Service deputy director of community policing Albert Nyongani said police, with support from Police Scotland, will continue to sensitise the masses to the evils of child abuse and GBV.
“Last week Tuesday we were in Mangochi and today we are here in Mchinji for the national launch of the sensitisation campaign on violence against children and women,” he said.
