NGT calls for intensified sensitisation on child protection

By ANNIE ZULU

THE growing trend of children being abused and tortured in Zambia is a wake-up call that there is need to scale up efforts toward child protection, says New Generation Time (NGT) director Moses Silungwe.

Mr Silungwe said the increasing cases of child abuse was worrying and needed to be addressed urgently.

He called for intensified sensitisation in communities on child protection.

Mr Silungwe noted that when the community was fully aware of the significance of child protection, cases of child abuse would automatically be reduced.

“The increasing cases of children being abused and tortured especially by people close to them should be a wake-up call to us as a country, the fact that this incidents have continued to occur shows that we have not done enough.

“NGT stands to sensitise the community especially homes as we believe charity begins at home, we say child protection starts at home,” Mr Silungwe said.

Meanwhile, NGT has donated supply of food and cleaning materials to 12-yea- old Blessing Phiri, a girl who is admitted at University Teaching Hospital where she is receiving medical attention after she suffered 90 percent burn wounds.

Blessing’s Mother, Prudence Phiri of Lusaka’s Old Kanyama Compound who is in police custody poured kerosene on her and set her alight because she allegedly stole her money.

Mr Silungwe also appealed to well-wishers and the general public to help the victim with necessities that would enable quick recovery. “We have come in to help the family and we are also appealing to other well-wishers to help in supply of food and other material, the girl needs a lot of things to recover,” he said.

Ms Silungwe also counselled parents to use appropriate methods to discipline children.

“As children advocates NGT strongly condemns child torture as a form of punishment by parents or guardians, it is barbaric and unhuman.