Youths demand inclusion in victim support guidelines
Youths in Machinga say their exclusion from the community victim support unit guidelines by government is subjecting them to various abuses in their communities.
The youths made their demand during a meeting between Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Plan International Malawi, SRHR Africa Trust and Forum for African Women Educationists (Fawema) at the district’s council hall on Friday.
The meeting followed the organisation’s Break Free project being implemented in the district to encourage youths to engage their duty-bearers and lobby for essential services that matter in their lives.
One of the youths, Patuma Sailesi from Mtokoma Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mlomba, said despite the availability of community victim support units in their areas to handle their complaints, the youth are not being supported.
She said: “This discourages us from reporting further abuses, thereby, perpetrating our suffering.”
In his reaction, Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare deputy director of child affairs Justin Hamela said government is in the process of reviewing standard operating procedures for the victim support guidelines.
“We promise to consider them,” he said.
Break Free country coordinator Judith Pangani said they want youths to push for implementation of laws or policies that are related to child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
