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Govt expresses concern on weak laws on child protection
Nchelenge, July 30th, 2014, ZANIS —- Government says the enforcement of the law on child protection in the country is weak.
And Nchelenge District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) Michael Mwape said the Child Protection Laws are very sufficient to deal with anyone perpetrating child rights abuses.
Provincial Social Welfare Officer (PSWO) Cosmas Lukupulo says the communities and other stakeholders should demand for justice whenever a child is abused to bring a stop to child rights abuses.
Mr. Lukupulo said the communities and all the stakeholders must fight this vice aggressively and report all erring elements in society to the law enforcers.
ZANIS reports that the PSWO was speaking in Nchelenge District of Luapula Province today.
This was during the Joint Multi-Sectoral Planning Meeting to mainstream Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) interventions organized by the Zambia Rising (ZR) project.
He said currently most communities and stakeholders would rather let the child rights abuses unreported because the protracted court processes at the expense of abetting the vice.
He charged that the members of the general public have not been aggressive enough to help the law enforcing agencies to effectively deal with the offenders of the child rights abuses.
He also said cultural issues that compel women to submission and the rampant poverty in society continues to be a barrier in enhancing the Child Protection Laws.
He observed that mothers would rather remain quiet than reporting their mischievous husbands to the law enforcers because of cultural orientations.
And speaking earlier Nchelenge District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) Michael Mwape said the Child Protection Laws are very sufficient to deal with anyone perpetrating child rights abuses.
Mr. Mwape blamed the escalating cases of child rights abuses to the inadequate and weak reporting systems that would ensure that the culprits are brought to book.
He said it is unfortunate that some supervisors have been shielding the erring officers especially teachers that are engaging sexual relationships with the pupils.
Mr. Mwape was contributing to the Joint Multi-Sectoral District Planning meeting held at the Nchelenge District Council today.
