Africa-Press – Angola. The National Children’s Institute (INAC), in the province of Zaire, has been reactivating child protection networks since the beginning of this year with the aim of reducing cases of violence against minors in the region.
Remember that the province of Zaire was a pioneer in the creation of child protection networks in 2009, when the region was being plagued by the phenomenon of children accused of being “witches”.
Previously, they were called child protection committees, three years later they changed to their current name, child protection networks.
Child protection networks have, among other purposes, to identify and report to the competent authorities the mistreatment to which many children are subjected in the community.
Speaking this Wednesday, the head of the INAC Provincial Service, Rafael Kidiwa, explained that, in a first phase, some protection networks in the neighborhoods of the city of Mbanza Kongo are being reactivated, in a process that counts on the support from the non-governmental organization Word Vision.
According to the person in charge, activities are taking place to refresh community technicians in matters linked to family and society, with the participation of the six (6) protection networks in the neighborhoods of Sagrada Esperança, Martins Kidito, Álvaro Buta, 11 de Novembro and 4 of February.
Without advancing the number of networks that INAC intends to create at the level of the six municipalities, Rafael Kidiwa said that the intention is to form groups that can integrate more than 35 elements and that will be coordinated by a regedor or soba.
He informed that after the neighborhoods of the municipal headquarters, the process will be extended to the municipalities of Luvo, Nkiende, Madimba, Kalambata and Kaluka, in a process that will continue, later this year, in the municipalities of Nzeto, Tomboco and Soyo.
Currently, he said, the municipalities of Soyo, Cuimba and Nóqui each have a child protection representative, who regularly report possible cases of child abuse to the National Children’s Institute, in Mbanza Kongo.
He highlighted that cases related to the sexual abuse of minors, early pregnancy and physical aggression are directly forwarded to the bodies involved in the administration of justice in the region.
INAC in Zaire has reported 96 cases of violence against children since January.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
