Social Welfare Office in Zomba and Future Vision Ministries have bemoaned practices that trigger abuses and eventually disturb children’s education.
District Social Welfare Officer, Christopher Ndaona expressed the concern during commemorations of the Day of the African Child at Sunuzi area, Traditional Authority Ngwelero where the Future Vision Ministries lnternational implements various child focus inttervintions.
Ndaona observed that child beating, child neglect, sending children back from school for failing to pay development fund and children involvement in night prayers and celebrations are factors that contribute to low performance of learners in schools.
“It’s my appeal to parents that it’s your responsibility to look after your children, don’t deny your children food when they go wrong,” he said, observing that poverty is another factor that affects child education.
Ndaona therefore called on parents to be engaged in income generating undertakings that should enable them to provide for their children.
“Don’t allow poverty to be an excuse for falling to provide for your children,” the Zomba Social Welfare Officer added.
He said the Day of the African Child provides opportunity for parents, child protection workers, organisation that advocate for child rights to reflect on the rights of children in Africa.
Ndaona encouraged parents to take special interest of child education to ensure that children attend classes and do all class work.
Future Vision Ministry International Country Director, Newton Sunday Sindo said the organisation decided to hold the Day of the African Child commemoration to provide a forum for partners in child rights to reflect on traditional, cultural and social ills that violate child rights.
He said that every person is responsible to ensure that children are accorded their rights and are protected against all forms of child abuse.
“Every child is entitled to human rights and any abuse is violationton to such rights, ” added Sindo.
He therefore bemoaned traditional beliefs and practices that encourage child abuse and sexual exploitation at the expense of child development and education.
“Let traditional leaders look into traditional and cultural practices that trigger child abuse that eventually affect child education,” Future Vision International Country Director said.
He said that it is also the role of traditional leaders to find solution of the problems since they are custodians of culture.
The Day of the African Child commemoration at Sunuzi focused on ways to end traditional practices that impacts on children well being.
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