The National Children’s Commission (NCC) has said it was geared up to tackle issues to do with child neglect and abuse in Thyolo district following rising cases of violence against children in the district.
NCC Commissioner, Julia Chimuna, told Malawi News Agency, Tuesday, that the NCC identified various forms of child abuse, in Thyolo that urgently need to be addressed for the good of children.
“In Thyolo, we will be focusing on cases of child neglect and abuse. The commission learnt that there are high levels of violence and physical abuse that require immediate attention,” said Chimuna.
She expressed concern over the plight of children in the district, stating that many were unaware of their rights and responsibilities, while others are being pushed into harmful behaviors due to lack of guidance and protection.
© 📷 Chimuna: We want to tackle issues of child neglect. Pic, Catherine Chikopa (Mana)“Many children are suffering and we need to step in. It is crucial to correct these behaviours early while they are still manageable,” she said.
Chimuna added that NCC is mandated not only to issue penalties for non-compliant entities but also to advise government on children’s welfare and advocate for child-centric budgets.
“Before the establishment of the commission, many stakeholders were working independently within the child services sector, leading to poor coordination and a lack of resources to adequately protect children.
© 📷 Milanzi: There is need for urgent attention. Pic, Catherine Chikopa (Mana)“The commission is advocating for increased funding towards children’s programmes. We have a role to ensure that services supporting children’s needs are promoted and strengthened,” she said.
Thyolo District Social Welfare Officer, Toby Milanzi, said child rights violation was real, highlighting key issues affecting children in the district as child labor, child marriages and children in conflict with the law.
“We are dealing with several issues that require urgent attention. We need more NGOs to step in and support all efforts to end this,” he said, and expressed optimism that the NCC will also play crucial role in issues affecting children.