Malawi’s NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGO CCR) addressing the news conference
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGO CCR) on Wednesday urged all political parties to desist from using children in political rallies arguing that its against fundamental international human rights.
The call comes amid reports that some political parties are using children with albinism to score political mileage.
The grouping urges all political parties to guard against any abuse of children a head of May 21 tripartite elections this year.
Addressing the new conference in the capital Lilongwe, NGO CCR Chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba urged all stakeholders to put in place child protection mechanisms to ensure all children are protected against all forms of exploitation and abuse.
Below is the full statement made available to The Maravi Post:
NGO CCR STATEMENT ON STATE OF CHILDRENS RIGHTS IN THE RUN UP TO 2019 ELECTIONS:
The NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGO CCR) as an organization mandated with the responsibility to champion child rights issues in Malawi, would like to share a few issues that have a bearing on the rights of the Child in Malawi as we move towards the 2019 Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections.
These issues require immediate address and consideration by duty bearers before thy get out of hand.
A. Rights of Children with Albinism On the outset, NGO CCR would like to commend Government, In particular the State President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika for instituting a commission of inquiry into the continued attacks, maiming, abductions and killings of persons with albinism.
NGO CCR makes this commendation based on the fact that a number f stakeholders and Politicians have spoken over the matter but none came closer to raise issues that the commission is likely set to address.
It is therefore appropriate that we commend the Government and President for this initiative and express our commitment to cooperate wit the commission so as to get to the Bottom of the matter.
While more work is yet to be done in this regard,NGO CCR noted with great concern that in the continued violence against persons with albinism, Comparative – statistics have demonstrated that children have been MORE susceptible to attacks.
It is therefore important to highlight progress the state and its citizens have made in this regard namely;
1. The Revision of the penal code and adopting sentencing guidelines
2. Designation of special prosecutors and resources for fast track trials for those arrested on crimes against people with albinism
3. Enrolling students with albinism in secondary and some specialized primary boarding schools.
4. Interface Meetings with Persons with albinism
5. Helping APAM in its quest to further seek action from the Head of state as evidenced by the Government support towards their lodging, Meals and travel from Lilongwe
6. The presidential Commitment to include Persons with Albinism in the Malawi Cement subsidy programme
7. The setting up of a Bounty /reward of MK5Million for anyone who may help in revealing details pertaining to available markets etc on the subject matter
8. The setting up of the inclusive Commission of Inquiry on the subject matter among others NGO CCR finds these developments necessary and timely as they will go a longway in arresting the problem.
We appeal for more and adequate resources to be allocated to them for timely execution of their duties.
The Coalition, on the other hand, strongly feels that the inclusion of a Pathologist, a legal Specialist, Criminal Investigation Specialist and a Child Rights Expert as members of the Commission remains critical, we hope this can be considered.
As we head towards 2019 polls, NGOCCR appeals to all stakeholders in particular politicians to highly desist from using Children with Albinism as Campaign tools i.e. by asking them to make speeches or compose songs praising such politicians as this exposes them to more danger and attacks from opposing forces or people of ill intentions. Lets Stop abusing the children with albinism !
B. Children’s Commission Bill The NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGO CCR), further commends the Parliament of Malawi, Malawian children, child-focused CSOs, UN agencies and government for spearheading the enactment of the legislation for the establishment of the National Children’s Commission.
The Bill was passed on Thursday, 7 March, 2019. The establishment of the National Children’s Commission as a statutory body to ensure that all laws, policies, programs and administrative mechanisms are properly implemented in consonance with child rights instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), African Charter on the Welfare and Rights of the Child (ACWRC) and the republican Constitution will go a long way in realizing the rights of children.
The NCC will play the role of advisor of children affairs – from policy formulation and implementation to budgetary allocation; from treaty body reporting to child focus law reform.
The operationalization of the much-anticipated National Children’s Commission cannot, therefore, be over-emphasized.
The timing is also very much favorable as the country strives to overcome some enormous challenges facing children across Malawi.
We, therefore, visualize a moment where a child rights-based perspective will flow into national policies and programs along with nuanced responses at the national, regional and district levels courtesy of the National Children’s Commission.
Considering the current situation on the ground for the Malawian child, we call upon the Head of State Prof Peter Mutharika to Consider expediting the process of assenting to the Bill once presented for the same.
Further to that, we also implore on government to ensure that, once assented to:
1. Adequate resources should be allocated for the successful initial implementation of the new law i.e. establishment of the institution
2. The role of the National Children’s Commission should be popularized by relevant government ministries and departments (Ministry of Civic Education, Ministry of Gender, Children, Women and Social Welfare)and child focused CSOs to ensure a cross-section of stakeholders appreciates the agency as an indispensable partner in the decentralization and mainstreaming of children’s welfare and rights promotion issues in the country’s development discourse.
As the President has done in numerous other occasions, We have the hope that He will assent to this bill even before the campaign gets heated so as to free the Malawian Child from further exploitations and prepare them for future leaders and useful citizens
C. Children affected by Floods The NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGO CCR), would like to once more commend His Excellency Professor Peter Mutharika for acting with speed in declaring Malawi a Disaster are due to the floods that hit the country.
WE commend his government through DODMA for rushing to the rescue of people affected by the floods with provision of food and non food items to alleviate their sufferings. NGO CCR noted with further great appreciation the decision by the President to cut short his Campaign rails in the north so as to attend to the affected people in the southern parts of Malawi.
This is great love a leader can display and offer to his ailing and dying people as such the NGO CCR strongly sends its words of commendations for this great act.
It is a common fact that APM’s opponents are busy gaining ground day in and day out, but the Presidents ability to put that aside and rescue his people is highly commendable. As a child rights body, our initial focus is on the rights of the Children affected by the floods.
We would like to appeal to key stakeholders in disaster management to ensure the respect of children’s rights in all disaster hotspots in the wake of unprecedented floods in parts of Malawi. It’s common knowledge that in most cases, children are the most vulnerable in the aftermath of disasters.
Actually, all rights of children as enshrined in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), African Charter on the Rights, Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) and the republican Constitution are under threat in times such as these.
In particular, NGO CCR makes an appeal to stakeholders to consider and reflect upon the following elements:
1. Child Protection: We urge all stakeholders to put in place child protection mechanisms to ensure all children are protected against all forms of exploitations and abuse. We demand maximum safety and security of children in disaster hotspots.
In the event of separation, we urge proper re-unification with families.
2. Right to Education and Health: It’s a fact that when people relocate to facilities such as school blocks for temporary residence, where teachers and learners are victims, thereby psychological trauma has the effect of having lessons disrupted and health of the persons compromised. Such incidents have been reported in places such as Chikwawa, Nsanje, Balaka, Mangochi, Mulanje and Phalombe.
WE appeal for prioritization of access to health by children and ensuring that right to education is guaranteed once the situation returns to normalcy.
Thus resources for infrastructure development and enhancement should be prioritized for children to learn in further secure and enabling environments Our calls and appeal under the rights of children affected by floods include but not limited to ;
a. Provide child-friendly psychological first aid for affected children
b. Ensure access to security and adequate child protection systems
c. Provide mobile antenatal and child-friendly health facilities in camp sites
d. Provide play spaces
e. Opting for temporary shelters away from school facilities whenever possible
f. Offer school materials as part of relief packages in disaster affected areas as flood water has damaged school materials.
OUR APPEALS AS NGO CCR, we have the responsibility to speak on all matters affecting children and the recent developments have made us address the press as above hence, based on the submissions, we would like to emphatically state that;
? Children with Albinism deserves protection from the State and all Malawians and efforts should be made to ensure that they are not abuse. The state therefore has a duty to withdraw children from environments that poses a danger to their livelihood and health as such, we call on the state to act where Politicians or csos and other stakeholders deliberately abuse and expose these children’s for personal or political gains
? We appeal for the National Children’s Commission fast tracking and immediate assent of the bill by the president f rot to start operating to protect our children and that
? The state and key stakeholders should guarantee the rights or children in the flood hit areas, so as to guarantee all their rights towards useful and better citizens.
NGO CCR remains ready and committed to engage the state and all stakeholders to appropriately guarantee these rights for our children.
For further information contact: Desmond Mhango, NGO CCR Chairperson + 265 999 243 746 Henry Machemba, NGO CCR National Coordinator + 265 888 982 624 Member Networks ? Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) ? Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) ? NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGO GCN) ? Malawi Human Rights Youth Network (MHRYN) ? Malawi Human Rights Consultative Committee (MHRCC) ? Youth Consultative Forum (YCF) ? Water and Environmental Sanitation Network (WESNet) ? Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) ? Media Advocates for the Advancement of Child Rights (MAACR) ? Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA)
