By Tione Andsen, MANA
World Vision Malawi (WVM) says there is need to invest more in juvenile facilities, rehabilitation and integration programme for children in conflict with the law in the country.
WVM National Director, Hazel Nyathi said this on Tuesday during tele-conference press briefing in Lilongwe as part of commemoration of Day of the African Child, 2020 under the theme ‘Access To a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa’.
WVM National Director, Hazel Nyathi
She said in order to improve on administration of child justice, children who are incarcerated or are awaiting trial should be kept separately from adults and separate males and females within their facilities.
Nyathi added that paralegal services at community level should include alternatives to punishment by Child Care, Protection and Justice Act (CCPJA) and that law enforcers — police officers, prosecutors, court staff, social workers and other relevant officials — are duly trained in such processes.
A juvenile facility for children in conflict with
the law
“There was need to rise the age of criminal responsibility to internationally accepted standards and give the child the benefit of the doubt in the context of punishment when their age is in dispute,” Nyathi suggested.
She pointed out that operationalization of Child Justice Courts should ensure that conditions in reformatory centres and the facilities used to detain children meet children’s health, education and other needs.
Nyathi added that children and juveniles who are waiting trial should not be held with those who are convicted.
In 2015, the Legal Aid Bureau replaced the Department of Legal Aid as the institution mandated to provide legal assistance to indigent persons.
The Bureau had 15 lawyers and 18 paralegals in the three offices, located in the largest cities and it is estimated that 98 percent of prisoners are legally unrepresented, including those charged with serious offences which attract long prison sentences.
This is particularly the case with children in conflict with the law.
World Vision’s Child Protection interventions aims to work with partners to establish a child protection system that improves the prevention of and response to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect of children, as well as the impact of HIV and AIDS.
Coronavirus alert
WVM supports government’s efforts to improve services for children affected by violence.
World Prison Population Brief 2018, noted higher rates of imprisonment of children in Southern Africa, compared to the rest of the continent.
Coronavirus Alert
The percentage of under-18 Young Women and Men (YWM) in prisons stands at 7.7 percent for Malawi, Mozambique 8.6 percent and Botswana 10.4 percent.
In many countries including, Malawi, YWM are incarcerated with adults. Malawi scored low on policy and child justice administration (World Vision Malawi Child Rights 2018).