Demand an End to Child Violence, Now
Child marriage is rampant in the region. The percentage of females aged 20 to 24 years who were first married or in a union before age is high as described. In Lesotho, More than one in ten females (11.0%) and one in three males (31.4%) had early sexual initiation, defined as first sex at or before age 15. (National VAC Report 2019).
Evidence indicates that part is related to the negative effects and a considerable slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic, conflict and climate change related woes recently experienced by these countries and mostly in Mozambique, DR Congo and Malawi.
Despite commendable legal in child protection in most of countries, including the most recent Criminalization of Early Marriage Act in Mozambique in 2019 and the Child Protection Act in Zambia in 2022, Child marriage remains a concern.
In most cases, the budgets to fund services, personnel and trainings to implement laws and policies to end violence against children is insignificant. These resources are hard-won, given competing political and funding interests, however, funding from official development assistance budgets coupled with partnerships from civil society can offer significant resource pathways when coupled with state budgets.
Sexual violence is another threat to the children. Up to 1 billion children worldwide between the ages of 2 and 17 have experienced physical, sexual, emotional, or neglect abuse in the past year. Current data indicates that up to 50% of sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls under the age of 163. Risks are particularly high in conflict-affected countries where girls are exposed to increased risk of gender-based violence, child marriage and teenage pregnancy. In Zambia for example, from the 1st January to April 2023, staff saw a lot of violence against children. A number of abductions occurred and children in Zambia are at risked and lived in fear. The law enforcers delayed responding while staff continue to see an increase in child abduction. This signifies that there is an urgent need to fund the police services and other enforcers to work and protect children from all forms of hard.
Worst form of child labor is affecting the children life especially in countries that present high fragility like DR Congo and Mozambique .
In March 2022 alone, the Child Protection Section of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) documented and verified exactly 157 grave child rights violations in the context of armed conflict in the DRC. According to the UN, this represents an increase of 39 per cent compared to January (113). Recruitment of children has become the most frequent violation, with 61 abuses recorded by the UN Children's Desk. This is followed by abduction (50), killing and maiming (32), sexual violence (10) and attacks on schools and hospitals (4). Child recruitment is inextricably linked to the dynamics of conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Mozambqiue, Children have been deeply traumatized by the violence and upheaval and require a range of support to help them recover. Of particular concern at the risks facing displaced girls related to their exposure to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation as well as their lack of access to reproductive health services and private, safe, and clean hygiene spaces.
Suicide is another forgotten trend in Southern Africa. In Malawi, for example, there is a sharp rise in suicide cases as a visible expression of the burden of mental health challenges in Malawi. In 2017, the Office of Ombudsman investigation found glaring deficiencies in mental health management in the public health system. It faulted the government for failing to fund district health offices adequately for that to be able to handle patients before sending them to the referral hospital. The inquiry established, for instance, that in two districts in the central region, the mental healthcare worker-to-population ratio ranged between 1:80,840 and 1:558,470. According to the report, the problem of staff shortage starts with how the training for doctors in Malawi is designed.
assinar petiçãoassinar petiçãoEvidence indicates that part is related to the negative effects and a considerable slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic, conflict and climate change related woes recently experienced by these countries and mostly in Mozambique, DR Congo and Malawi.
Despite commendable legal in child protection in most of countries, including the most recent Criminalization of Early Marriage Act in Mozambique in 2019 and the Child Protection Act in Zambia in 2022, Child marriage remains a concern.
In most cases, the budgets to fund services, personnel and trainings to implement laws and policies to end violence against children is insignificant. These resources are hard-won, given competing political and funding interests, however, funding from official development assistance budgets coupled with partnerships from civil society can offer significant resource pathways when coupled with state budgets.
Sexual violence is another threat to the children. Up to 1 billion children worldwide between the ages of 2 and 17 have experienced physical, sexual, emotional, or neglect abuse in the past year. Current data indicates that up to 50% of sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls under the age of 163. Risks are particularly high in conflict-affected countries where girls are exposed to increased risk of gender-based violence, child marriage and teenage pregnancy. In Zambia for example, from the 1st January to April 2023, staff saw a lot of violence against children. A number of abductions occurred and children in Zambia are at risked and lived in fear. The law enforcers delayed responding while staff continue to see an increase in child abduction. This signifies that there is an urgent need to fund the police services and other enforcers to work and protect children from all forms of hard.
Worst form of child labor is affecting the children life especially in countries that present high fragility like DR Congo and Mozambique .
In March 2022 alone, the Child Protection Section of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) documented and verified exactly 157 grave child rights violations in the context of armed conflict in the DRC. According to the UN, this represents an increase of 39 per cent compared to January (113). Recruitment of children has become the most frequent violation, with 61 abuses recorded by the UN Children's Desk. This is followed by abduction (50), killing and maiming (32), sexual violence (10) and attacks on schools and hospitals (4). Child recruitment is inextricably linked to the dynamics of conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Mozambqiue, Children have been deeply traumatized by the violence and upheaval and require a range of support to help them recover. Of particular concern at the risks facing displaced girls related to their exposure to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation as well as their lack of access to reproductive health services and private, safe, and clean hygiene spaces.
Suicide is another forgotten trend in Southern Africa. In Malawi, for example, there is a sharp rise in suicide cases as a visible expression of the burden of mental health challenges in Malawi. In 2017, the Office of Ombudsman investigation found glaring deficiencies in mental health management in the public health system. It faulted the government for failing to fund district health offices adequately for that to be able to handle patients before sending them to the referral hospital. The inquiry established, for instance, that in two districts in the central region, the mental healthcare worker-to-population ratio ranged between 1:80,840 and 1:558,470. According to the report, the problem of staff shortage starts with how the training for doctors in Malawi is designed.
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