Chakwera interacting with kids during the commemoration
* As he officially launched Early Childhood Development Advocacy Campaign
* All policies, laws and legal instruments should revolve around the child as a priority
By Kondwani Magombo, MANA
President Lazarus Chakwera has called on all Malawians to ensure that children in the country are fully protected from all types of abuse which they face in the society.
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Chakwera made the call on Wednesday in Mangochi where he participated in this year’s International Day of the African Child commemoration and officially launched Early Childhood Development Advocacy Campaign.
The president said if the country is to achieve the Agenda 2040, which aims at fostering an Africa fit for children, then it has to start from the homes where the children live.
“If we want Africa fit for the child by 2040, then we first need to make every home fit for the child,” Chakwera said, adding: “When our homes are safe and fit for the child, our villages, schools, areas, districts and the whole country will be fit for the child.”
Proud moment for the kids, up close with the President
The President said, as a country, all policies, laws and legal instruments should revolve around the child as a priority before they focus on adults. He said the latter are the first to break the very laws that they make.
He observed that most of the abuses that children undergo are perpetrated in homes by people who are supposed to protect the child.
Chakwera also strongly condemned the ‘criminal’ tendency that some people have of shielding perpetrators of child and sexual abuses.
Chakwera admiring an educational pavilion
“We need to hold hands in exposing perpetrators of child abuse; this tendency of shielding them must stop if we are to ensure total protection and safety for our children.”
Turning to the commemoration, Chakwera addressed African children through a written poetic letter in which he adorned them as ‘God’s special creation’ that is priceless and worthy beyond all the minerals and any other wealth in the world.
He assured the children that government, together with its development partners, will strive to ensure that all instruments that promote the safety and rights of children are in place and adhered to.
Promise Macheso
The children’s representative at the commemoration function, Promise Macheso, hailed President Chakwera for government’s efforts in fulfilling some of the aspirations which guide the Agenda 2040.
However, Macheso said children in the country continue to face challenges such as inadequate learning and teaching materials; inadequate inclusive learning; forced marriages; barriers to secondary and tertiary education and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Macheso, therefore, asked government to look into all the challenges and also ensure that parents who force their children into marriage face the law.
“If we are to achieve an Africa Fit for Children, we, the children must be put at the centre of development. Our views and opinions must be recognised and taken into account,” Macheso said.
The day’s commemoration was marked with activities by the sizeable number of children drawn from across the country and a live performance by Yoneco Band in keeping with COVID-19 preventative protocols.
Other notable figures present during the event included former President Dr. Joyce Banda, Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati and UNICEF Representative, Rudolf Schwenk.
The theme for this year’s commemoration of the Day of the African Child is: ‘30 years after the adoption of the charter: accelerate the implementation of the Agenda 2040 for an Africa Fit for Children.’
Meanwhile, two days before the official International Day of the African Child Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Dr Patricia Kaliati said all stakeholders need to adopt the nurturing care framework in raising awareness around providing early childhood development services.
Kaliati (behind the President) during the launch
She said the year-long Early Childhood Development Advocacy Campaign consists of adequate health, appropriate nutrition, care and stimulation, early learning, clean safe and protective environment.
“Our responsibility is to give children an opportunity and the chance to use their gifts and talents to achieve their dreams as one major strategy for accelerating the implementation of Agenda 2040 for the country and Africa fit for children.”
Kaliati further said stakeholders, communities and individuals should join the Ministry in taking actions towards the provision of relevant support for our children to thrive, grow, develop and be protected from all forms of abuse and exploitation.
She said the United Nations has acknowledged that member states must take specific actions to ensure children’s rights are accessible as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC).
All stakeholders, communities and individuals need to take an action towards supporting the concept of the year of long Early Childhood Development Advocacy Campaign (ECD), which aims at increasing public understanding about the what, why and how of ECD.
The Minister said that ECD was often forgotten in the mega plans of institutions and organizations, as such; the campaign would help to detail the need to ensure ECD was given the prominence it deserves.
She also explained that ECD does not only matter in the lives of children, but to the development, growth and productivity of the nation — which builds a stronger, more stable and prosperous society for every child in line with the AU Agenda 2040.
Director of Children Affairs in Ministry, McKnight Kalanda said much of Agenda 2040 was looking at the survival, participation and early stimulation of the child.
He said in the past the Ministry had launched several campaigns since 2009, every year around the months of August and September where there was much emphasis on the provision of centre based services.
Kalanda said this year’s campaign would focus on the first 1,000 days of a child from conception to three years.
National Director for Save Our Souls (SOS), Smart Namagonya said government should take a leading role to ensure that children are being protected and cared for.
He said Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are only complementing government’s agenda to make sure vulnerable children in society are supported.
This year’s event is being commemorated under the theme, ‘30 years after the adoption of the Charter: accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children’.—Additional reporting by Tione Andsen
