By Vincent Khonje
Mchinji, March 11, Mana: In response to escalating child welfare challenges, stakeholders in Mchinji have come together to develop strategies for enhancing child protection.
The district has been grappling with issues such as child trafficking, underage children loitering on the streets and engaging in crime, a lack of safe homes, and widespread child abuse within households.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Mchinji Director of Planning and Development Martin Pindankono said the council has observed a rise in cases affecting children's welfare and protection.
"This is not an issue for one institution alone—everyone has a role to play. We need to come together and identify what each stakeholder can do, both individually and collectively, to safeguard our children's future," said Pindankono.
During a technical working group meeting that brought together government departments, civil society organizations, and law enforcement agencies such as the police and the judiciary, discussions focused on strengthening coordination and collaboration.
Mchinji Police's Child Protection Officer, Joe Kapenda, said most of the challenges stem from family structures, where children are often forced onto the streets instead of being in school.
"We are handling an increasing number of cases where children are being used in criminal activities, often due to a lack of parental guidance or abandonment. We are trying to address this issue, but we also face challenges such as mobility, as children need to be assessed in their homes," he said.
A representative from the judiciary, His Worship Fred Juma, decried the lack of 'child panels', which provide guidance on child-related offenses.
"Child panels are supposed to be available at magistrate courts and should include a traditional leader, a teacher, a medical professional, and a faith leader. Although this is stipulated in the law, they are not in place," said Juma.
The stakeholders agreed on several key issues, including ensuring that social reports on children's cases are available to the courts, mobilizing resources, establishing child panels in courts, and conducting a sweeping exercise to remove children from the streets.
