A FEAST TO REMEMBER - ZAMBIA’S FIRST LADY HOSTS OVER 400 CHILDERN AT STATE HOUSE

By Kanengo Nakamba

Zambia’s First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba Sata has continued to play an important and active role in promoting and protecting the rights of the Zambian child, earning her international recognition and awards.

To celebrate this year’s Christmas and her birthday, Dr Kaseba held a children’s Christmas Carols and Party for orphans and vulnerable children aged 4 – 10 years at State House.

Scores of children from all works of life stood at bus stations as early as 06:30 hours to wait for the buses to take them to State House. Upon arrival the children were greeted by huge bowls of popcorns, crisps and fruits to devour while they waited for the program to start. Child participation was the melody for the day as all the Masters of Ceremonies were children. All presentations were also made by children.

The place was lit up when the host Dr Kaseba Sata arrived as the children showed signs of unimaginable happiness. She later abandoned her well decorated table for a table where the physically challenged children sat. All the children at the party were asked not to call the President and First Lady by their official names but address them as Papa and Mama.

The President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata came 30 minutes after Dr Kaseba and the children could not hide their excitement as they quickly run straight into his arms and chanted his name in sequences despite the tight security.

Dr Kaseba was later invited on stage and surprised with presents, a song by Chungu Musuka and a birthday cake. But before the presentation of the gifts and cake, a vote of thanks was made by 11 year old Vanessa Mwale from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. In her speech, Vanessa said the children were hopeful that Papa (His Excellency) will soon invite them to discuss developmental issues that affect them because all the adults are doing the work for us. “All the hard work you put in is to ensure that we the children are comfortable and finish our school, we are your motivation to hard work and in the process of working for us you should not forget us”, Vanessa said. In his response, President Sata said, he would invite the children to State House but this time to discuss developmental issues. - The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.

MEDIA NETWORK CAMPAIGNS AGAINST CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

By Victor Kanguya

Child defilement is rapidly taking root in our country like a malignant cancer. Just as cancerous cells multiply uncontrollably, destroying healthy tissue. Child Sexual Abuse in Zambia is eating away the moral fibre of our society and destroying childhood innocence in the process.

The Media Network on Child Rights and Development (MNCRD) with support from Firelight Foundation recently held a Bus Campaign against Child Sexual Abuse in Kafue and Mazabuka. MNCRD decided to hold a Bus Campaign in the two Districts (Kafue and Mazabuka) owing to the high number of child sexual abuse cases reported in the two areas.

Mazabuka with about 288,000 inhabitants has recently recorded a rise in the number of defilement cases. Speaking during an interview with the Children’s News Agency, MNCRD Executive Director, Mr Henry Kabwe said the Campaign was meant to sensitise the public about child sexual abuse in Kafue and Mazabuka districts. He further said the organisation carried along a team of journalists in order to facilitate the coverage of the Campaign.

The Campaign provided an opportunity for the public to express their views and air concerns. “The response was overwhelming, we had people coming over to find out more about child sexual abuse”, Mr Kabwe said. “We also had people coming through giving information about certain cases where the police had not made follow up”, he went on to say.

Despite the introduction of stiffer laws such as the increase of the minimum sentence for any person convicted of defilement to 15 years, the country still continues to grapple with child sexual abuse.

The statistics released by the Zambia Police for 2011, indicate that cases of child sexual abuse hit 1,939, with only 511 going through legal procedure 66 withdrawn and 329 still under study. The statistics above are a true representation of the situation on the ground and this should be evidence enough to bring everyone on board in order to fight this crisis.

Child sexual abuse is a subject that should be of concern to every Zambian. There is need to join hands in finding solutions to this problem and organisations such as MNCRD need to be supported for undertaking a Campaign of this nature, as the wellbeing and development of any child should be the most important for every Zambian. - The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT INTERACT WITH CHILDREN

By Victor Kanguya and Kanengo Nakamba

It is a rare opportunity for children to step into the National Assembly and present their petitions to their leaders. But for more over 40 children from Lusaka, Chibombo, Kafue and Chongwe, Tuesday 27^th November 2012 was a special day as they walked into the National Assembly to present their concerns and interact with the law markers.  Childfund Zambia with its co-operating partners organised a meeting at which children and the members of Parliament from the Coalition of African Parliamentarians Against HIV/AIDS, CAPAH were present. The meeting was aimed at providing an opportunity for the children and members of Parliament to interact.

Zambia is one of the African countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS: with about 19 percent of children under 18, mostly orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV/AIDS among children has been a growing concern and this has prompted stakeholders such as Childfund to take an active role in combating the problem. The meeting held at parliament was aimed at finding solutions to the problem of HIV/AIDS among children.

 The Coalition of African Parliamentarians Against HIV/AIDS, CAPAH has its membership drawn from all political parties with representation in Parliament. CAPAH Zambia envisions healthy communities with productivity, free from the threat of HIV/AIDS. Taking into consideration its strategic positioning, it is important that the organisation joins hands with other stakeholders in fighting HIV/AIDS among children.

Having been given this rare accordance, the children present at the meeting took the opportunity to share their challenges and experiences. The children through a speech read by a child representative, called on the members of Parliament to further strengthen girl child protection; by putting in place laws that will adequately protect the female child. “The girl child does not feel adequately protected because they are on the wanted list of older men, who are in some cases are infected with HIV/AIDS”.

The children further reiterated their call to the members of Parliament by saying; they are willing to work with the members of Parliament in their communities in HIV/AIDS prevention activities. The children further thanked the members of Parliament for taking their time to meet and interact with them.

The members of Parliament present also called on the children and youth to uphold high moral standards, as the laws they have put in place alone cannot guarantee their safety if they are not cautious.

Childfund Zambia through its Program Director Ms Doras Chirwa also thanked the members of Parliament for their presence. “We are excited to see members of Parliament that are passionate about HIV/AIDS and that have contributed significantly to fighting the pandemic in Zambia”, Ms Chirwa said. Ms Chirwa shared some of Childfund’s core outcomes which are infant and young children to be secure and healthy and children that are confident and educated. She further went on to say, Childfund alone cannot achieve these core outcomes and is looking forward to partnering with other organisations such as CAPAH.

And responding to the children’s presentations, the members of Parliament committed to ensuring that the concerns raised by the children were debated in Parliament. Member of Parliament for Mandevu, Ms Jean Kapata said the Parliamentarians heard the children’s concerns and were happy that some of the issues they are planning to take to Parliament during the next session were highlighted in the children’s presentations.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic should be of growing concern to every well meaning Zambian. The statistics are of great concern and the children called for more sensitisation especially in rural areas. One of the children present at the meeting Cecilia Matenda from Kafue said, “Such events should be extended to rural areas so that children lacking information could be part of them”. “This will give children the confidence to come out in the open and speak out on the issues affecting them”, she said. These calls should be taken seriously as children are the future of any nation. The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.