Mpinganjira
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) says Malawi needs a functional child protection system to protect children from various forms of abuse which continue to rise in the country.
MHRC commissioner, Rosemary Kanyuka, made the remarks in Lilongwe during the premiere of a movie called, “Nelia’s Dream” whose concept tackles issues of child rights and gender-based violence. The movie depicts a young girl who escapes an arranged marriage, goes back to school and ends up to become a successful truck driver.
According to Kanyuka, a functional system is multisectoral and it prevents and responds to child protection issues at which the system contains set of laws, policies, regulations, attitudes, children’s life skills, essential rehabilitation and commitment.
“A child protection system should be able to reduce risks, make children’s rights a reality, restore the hope and dignified living of the child and create an enabling environment that is able to respond and prevent abuses.
“A good child protection system is able to build bridges of hope and support children achieve their dreams,” said Kanyuka.
Kanyuka also noted that there should be social support networks at all levels of the society that are able to identify, prevent and respond to child sexual abuses.
She added that parents and families need skills in parenting, child protection and capacity to support children’s needs.
Commenting on the movie, Kanyuka said the movie is so touching and it is teaching parents to always protect their children and also to protect their children and not abusing them.
In his remarks, Amref Health Africa in Malawi Executive Director Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu said as Amref they are implementing a project called Power to Youth and they want to help youths to make decisions about their own health but also their future.
He added that the movie Nelia’s Dream helps communicate issues that affect young girls.
“We have seen a lot of challenges that have come out of this movie and there is need for corporate partners, businesses to support our film industry in Malawi. They are communicating important issues and these are things that are happening in our communities so as NGOs, corporate partners and businesses we need to support the film industry in our country,” said Nyasulu.
Bright Makina of Bright Light Studio who is also the Executive producer of the movie said Nelia’s Dream is about promoting girl child education, ending child marriages, preventing unwanted pregnancies and also promoting women empowerment in the society.
Amref Health Africa in Malawi partnered with Bright Light Studio to premiere the movie to raise awareness on evils of gender-based violence.
This event was financed by the 5-year (2021-2025) Power to Youth Program (PtY) which is being implemented at both national and district level (Dedza and Machinga) by a 6-member consortium.
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