Africa-Press – Zambia. Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Augustine Kasongo has called on parents to desists from sending their children to beg and to sell on the streets to curb the cases of cholera affecting many people in the country.
Mr Kasongo appealed to parents during the launch of the provincial roll out of children’s code act in Kitwe that they should remove their children from the streets and take the responsibility of taking care of them.
He said as the province embarks on the roll out of the Children act awareness, the involvement of chiefs and District Commissioners is vital in promoting the values that uplifts and stops the abuse of children.
“The Chiefs guidance, wisdom, and commitment to the welfare of their communities such as sensitisation of the contents of the children’s code act will help members of the society to understand and take care of the children,” Mr Kasongo.
Mr Kasongo said the involvement of chiefs in the awareness of the Children’s act shows the government’s commitment to addressing cultural and traditional barriers affecting the growth and wellbeing of children.
He stated that government has outlined interventions to tackle gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies, child abuse, and violence against children.
“To this effect efforts are being made towards child protection and ending child marriage, rehabilitation, and reintegrate children living on the street,” he said.
Mr Kasongo told the gathering that government is focused on improving mult-sectoral coordination and networking among players in social protection programmes.
He said priority has been given to nurturing and supporting early childhood development and facilitating a conducive learning environment to support early development of literacy and problem solving skills.
The Permanent Secretary pointed out that there is a need to include national values and principles in the young generation who are slowly diluting the country’s culture. He also bemoaned that the exposure to internet has negatively affected the young generation who mostly abuse it.
Ministry of Community Development Assistance Director for Child Development Beatrice Muyambango said the overall goal of the Children’s act is to provide legislative measures for effective and efficient protection of children, preventing violation of the rights of children, abuse, violence, and all forms of harmful practices.
Ms Muyambango noted that the law will provide measures for corrective action where there is violation of rights of a child or where the abuse has occurred.
“This law is not meant to give powers to children over parents not at all, instead, this law brings out both the children’s rights and their responsibilities as well as corrective action and care for children who are or may be victims of various forms of harsh treatment, violence or parental neglect,” Ms Muyambango said.
Ms Muyambango noted that the children’s code act has provided for a national coordination committee for children and a replication of similar structures at various levels of implementation such as provincial, district, and community.
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