By Wilfred Golden
The government through the ministry of gender, community development and social welfare says it is committed in the work against violation of children’s rights, but stresses that the work needs collaborative efforts.
According to Gender Minister,Jean Sendeza, the main problem that has been there for a long time is that different Non-Govermental organizations work in isolation without coordinating with others who are also fighting for the same goal.
She said this is not good because as a country,the elimination of the vice needs to hold hands and work together.
She was speaking during the 2023 commemoration of the world day of prayers for children which was held in Lilongwe.
“We need to show happiness, love as well as hope as we are praying for the good life for all the children here in Malawi. This is a great day for all of us as we are meditating on the relevance of having these children and that it is important to be praying for them. Each and every day we are witnessing cases of child abuse, my beloved fellow Malawians this is not our tradition we used to have in the past and we must refrain from these malpractice.
“Am calling upon all stakeholders that when we are implementing various projects aiming at eliminating child violations we should coordinate for the impact to be seen at large, as President Lazarus Chakwera urge us to unite when doing things,” she said.
Director of advocacy at World Vision international Charles Gwengwe said as one of the implementing partners in the fight against violation of children rights, World Vision international is committed to ensure that they are fulfilling their commitments in order for the children to gain what they are supposed to be given in all the projects they have lined up.
“Children need much support, you know this is a vulnerable group which needs special attention and we never know the one whom we are abusing today may turn out to be the next minister of gender, everything is possible, so we need to show love and compassion to these young ones at all cost,” Gwengwe said.
Masona Tembo Kaluluma, moderator of Nkhoma Synod also concurred with Gwengwe saying they are just fulfilling what God started in the old testament as he is showing compassion about children and that they will make sure that all commitments are being fulfilled to help children to grow with good manners.
World Vision international, UNICEF as well as the Nkhoma Synod of the C. C. A. P collaborated during this day of commemoration of the world day of prayers in order to disseminate information on issues to do with the violation of children’s rights.
The prayers were held under the theme: Faith leaders; let’s unite to protect children from all forms of violence.