By Sellah Singini

Lilongwe, October 02, Mana: National Children's Commission ( NCC) has appealed for financial support from partners and stakeholders to assist the commission in its institutionalisation and the discharge of its mandate.

Commissioner Julia Chimuna who is one of the commissioners of NCC appealed on Wednesday in Lilongwe during the stakeholder’s engagement meeting between the commissioners for the NCC and stakeholders from government and Non- Government Organizations (NGO’s).

Chimuna said, currently the commission is looking for almost three billion Kwacha for its operations.

She said the money raised will help the commission in discharging its mandate and making sure that it serves children in the country effectively and elevates their lives.

"The three billion will be divided into two parts. The first part is the institutionalisation of the commission and two billion kwacha is needed for that. The second one is specifically focusing on discharging of the commission's mandate, which is for the next six months and one billion kwacha is needed for that,” Chimuna said.

"The figure appears quite huge, but when we look at the issues that are in the children's sector right now, they're very bad. And also Malawi is rated poorly in terms of Children's Services," she added.

In his remarks, Deputy Director for Child Affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Justin Hamela said the commission will help in the coordination, enforcement and also holding different partners accountable in the delivery of services towards children.

"As you are aware, what led to the establish of the commission is the motion that was raised in parliament where it acknowledged the challenges that children are facing, but also limited services that are there to offer different kinds of services to children,

"so we look at it as a very important institution that would help and support the ministry in providing necessary services to children, " He said.

Hamela added that there is a need for more resources for the actual services at council level, where children are usually available and they are looking for such kinds of services.