EVEN GIRLS DREAM

By Christine Mbewe

Many are the times when we get down discouraged and disappointed. Troubles come along, friends go away, and our loved ones are taken away by illnesses and other tragedies. We as girls are tormented and engulfed.

Most of us are afraid of imagining that, we shut our mental doors and turn the key in the lock, we believe it is sign of weakness to be a dreamer, to the far vision of what might be and do.

For many decades now, girls from all angles of life have been victims of child abuse, neglecting, drugs, slavery and sexual exploitation. Killed and above all they are not considered to be or have bright futures.

Most girls give up their lives and they turn to be bad people but not that they want to but because of the circumstances. Girls who are victims of rape, drugs, sex exploitation and other vices are the things we see in our day to day lives. These girls are psychologically and mentally disturbed because of their past experiences. They are hunted by the things that happened to them they turn to despise others, they grow with hatred and vengeance they feel and surely tell themselves that they can do anything. It is not them they are driven by the vengeance in their hearts.

A girl child with such experiences also like any other normal girl child who has never been subjected to such abuse, she wishes that she  had a normal life, with  a caring person around, someone they could talk to and above all a caring family. Girls who have been abused still remain traumatized. Their rights violated by people in the society. What have we done to our motherland? is the question in their minds day in and day out, while others girls spend a time planning for the future. They have shuttled visions they wish someday someone will come to their aid.

So as we commemorate this year’s International Day of  the Girl Child under the theme, “innovating for girls education”, let us innovate to create a better world and platforms for girls enjoy their fundamental human rights. It is therefore the wish and cry of every girl child that someone out there has a heart and desire to help girls overcome obstacles that have indulged persistently in the lives. The Children’s News Agency (CNA) with Support from the European Union (EU)

RITUAL ABUSE AND CHILDREN

By Gabriel Phiri

Ritual abuse is a brutal form of abuse of children, consisting of physical, sexual and physiological abuse. Rituals in general are not always satanic but depending on the motive of the practice makes it evil. However, in cases of ritual abuse are usually victims suffering the most severe and longstanding emotional damage from the abuse.

 Ritual abuse can be defined as ‘’ the alleged sexual, murder or any spiritual act that can be harmful to the development of a child’’, supposedly committed as part a satanic ritual.  

Zambia has not been spared from alleged ritual abuse practises for many years now. We can tell by the stories of ritual abuse that are all over the Zambian media and children are mostly victims.

Talking to a child who resides in N’gombe Compound in Lusaka where an alleged Congolese national was found practicing rituals on children aged 6 to 11 years old said, “we are now living in fear not knowing what tomorrow will bring and holds for as”. “Seeing friends my age passing through what I can term as hell at a tender age gives me fear”, he lamented.

The relevant authorities such as the police have to ensure that people who are practicing these rituals are dealt with. It is also the responsibility of the community to ensure that children are protected from such practices. There is need for sensitization targeted at members of the community including children.

A community is a source of joy for any child and is important for their development but lately communities have slowly turned into dangerous places for children. Numerous children have been abused, others have mysteriously disappeared while others have been murdered in cold blood. The phrase Today’s children are tomorrow's leaders is slowly losing its meaning.’’ But the question still remains what are you as an individual's doing about this case?  The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.

ECZ FORMS VOTER EDUCATION CLUBS IN SCHOOLS

By Joseph Lungu & Perrykent Nkole

The right to seek, receive and impart information in various forms according to article 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC/CRC) has moved a step further in being fulfilled through the Electoral Commission of Zambia's (ECZ)’s decision to form Voter Education School clubs.

The Voter Education School Clubs (VES) were launched in September in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education. The clubs are currently running in all the 10 provinces of Zambia.

The formation of Voter Education School Clubs has also fulfilled part of the Electoral Act no. 12 of 2006, article 76 of the Constitution of Zambia which outlines one of the responsibilities of the Electoral Commission of Zambia as being ‘to conduct voter education’.

The Voter Education School Club’s main aim is to work with the school system to enlighten school going children on electoral matters and create awareness on their responsibilities in the electoral process. The clubs shall also endeavor to come up with activities that promote ideas of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability and shall ensure that these ideas and their practical applications are appreciated by the school community.

The intention of the club is to inculcate a culture of integrity and loyalty into school going children, to use school children as a channel to reach the wider Zambian community with voter education messages, to spread voter education messages in schools and involve school going children in the fight against electoral malpractices and to enable teachers and pupils understand the electoral process.

The ECZ expects all the pupils to instill upon themselves the principles of non-partisanship, objectivity, transparency and openness in order for them to grow up into responsible citizens able to participate profoundly in the electoral procedure. A good illustration of what the ECZ is trying to prevent can be derived from some of the previous elections we have had in the country where less than a quarter of registered voters took part in the elections. Through the teachings children will receive at the voter newly created club, it is hoped that situations like low voter turnout will be no more in future.

The clubs shall be for pupils and all programs shall be pupil-driven. The club patron shall be a member of the teaching or administration staff of the school appointed by the school management. He or she shall be a bond between the club and the school authorities and shall ensure that activities of the club are not a variance with the rules and regulations set by the school.

Club meetings will be conducted in an orderly manner with respect for individuals. Whenever a meeting is held, records of such a meeting shall be taken down and entered in the VES club activity book which every school is expected to keep.

The ECZ wants to create a relationship based on mutual understanding and shared values, therefore, it shall play an advisory role to the clubs, will provide human or material resources if requested for and when available will help organize and monitor activities for the clubs.

Discipline and respect for self, other pupils, teachers and the school system wide-ranging have been set as the key factors and shall be expected from all those associated with the voter education school clubs.

 Speaking in an interview with the Children's News Agency, ECZ Deputy Director Mrs Jacquelyn Mubita said that is important to sensitize pupils about the electoral process to enable them to be responsible citizens because young people nowadays are being used as political tools of violence. She also stated that with this great step that the ECZ has taken, an electoral malpractice free country is possible.

And a child schooling at one of the schools where the club is running said that he feels happy following the introduction of these clubs in schools because they do not only benefit those that are members of the club, but also other pupils because they will learn from their friends who are members of the club. He also stated that he believes the teachings from the club meetings could also lead to a reduction in the cases of political violence and electoral rigging in the country.

It is said that ‘life is 10% what happens to a person and 90% how he reacts to it’, so it is up to these young people to make the fight against electoral malpractice successful. The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.

THE BBC AFRICA DEBATE: Children need to grow up in a democratic nation

By Brian Phiri

The British Broadcasting Corporation BBC held its monthly debate in Lusaka on the 26^th of September 2013.The debate that was held under the theme “Can democracy deliver for Africa?” was held at the Government Complex in Lusaka.  It was attended by various government representatives with the Republican Vice President Dr. Guy Scott being one of the panellists, opposition political party leaders such as the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) President, Dr. Nevers Mumba and party officials.  Journalists, college and university students, voters and the civil society also made the audience.

Don Damon Presenter of the BBC World Service Daily Radio and Alex Jakana BBC Africa presenter moderated the debate. The target of the debate was to find out if democracy is one of the best forms of government as to which Africa can be ruled by and Zambia was picked as it is thought to be one of the countries that have upholded a peaceful democratic rule for several years.

“The subject of this edition has been one of the most popular topics suggested by various listeners of the debate, and questions of this kind have come up time and again,” stated Alex Jakana. He continued to say that Zambia has an image of a working peaceful democracy that has appeared to be under threat lately thus the theme.

The three panellists being the Republican Vice President Dr Scott, Sipho Malunga, the Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative Southern Africa (OSISA) and Linda Kasonde a lawyer under the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) were put in a tight spot as many questions, contributions and criticisms arose from the audience ranging from poverty, mining and the main issue of democracy being dead in the country since the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) government took over leadership in 2011.

Many in the audience felt that democracy has lost its true meaning from Abraham Lincoln the first President of the United States of America’s definition. Among the many who criticised the presence of democracy being present in the country was Elijah Ngwale, a disability rights activist.

The opposition also strongly attested to the fact that democracy has lost its meaning in Zambia. “Of course the whole nation at large rejoiced when the Patriotic Front government was declared the wining party, but in the two years of governance, this government has failed to deliver to the people rule by the people, for the people with the people. It seems everyone is hungry for power and being in government,” one of the opposition officials stated. The issue of land wrangles by the ruling governments’ cadres in the country was also raised and the president’s silence was questioned. It was also stated to say that because of these land situation children’s futures were being destroyed as they are the ones who suffer most. “Are cadres now going to rule our country? What next? Have we failed as a democratic nation?” they asked.

In an interview with BBC presenter and moderator of the debate, Don Damon after the debate, he highlighted the importance of hosting the debate for the children.   “I have covered some rather tragic stories involving children in many countries were democracy isn’t the rule of the day, but military rule mostly. Many children are affected by military and dictator forms of governments hence rebels arise and involve children to take part in the fights against the government and many children die,” Damon said.

He also said in these countries poverty is the order of the day and malnutrition and hunger attack the children mostly. “Children need to understand what democracy is all about. It is important for children to grow up in a democratic kind of government and not only that, children need to participate in democracy as this is their right, and in decision making they should also be involved. They should be given a voice in a democratic country to speak out in the many issues that affect them,” he stated.

The panellists also believe that democracy can make it for the country as one party rule, military and traditional rule failed to deliver a sustainable government for any country. Dr. Scott defended the PF saying the democracy of 1991 from the one-part era to the current government, is incomparable as the former governments were much worse-off in terms of infrastructure, education, economic development and employment. But if Zambia wasn’t a democratic nation there wouldn’t be fair elections or  no elections at all, but because we are a democracy we still have peace and still called a developing country”  Dr Scott said.

‘Not much at the debate was covered for the children’ hence Damon hoped that next time the BBC hosts a debate, children will be involved. The Children’s News Agency with support from European Union.

BOARDING SCHOOLS VS. DAY SCHOOLS

                          By Diana Ejemenye

       With many pupils passing their exams this year, there is the common question of which school they would be pleased to go to. Pupils have the very choice of either going to a boarding school or the most common: a day school. But the true question that even parents want to know is: which one is better?

          According to Rebecca Phiri, who is a pupil at Munali Girls School, says that boarding school is way better. In her own words, boarding schools give pupils peace of mind because they are free from the stress at home. She added that it is much easier to study at boarding school than at home because there are fewer distractions. Though she changes and says that day school is pretty good because of the amount of free time it gives.

        Although, most people on the internet argue that boarding schools separate the child from the family, and instil a feeling of abandonment by parents in the child. As one of the users on yahoo answers said: “You find that keeping your child away from you for so long makes your child’s relationship with you deteriorate. When your child comes back home, he or she is like a person that you don’t know.” Other issues that were brought up were that bullying was harder to run away from. I mean, how can you possibly run from the bullies when you actually live in the same dorm with them? This leads to the feeling of fear in the children, and makes them not focus on their education while they are at the school.

    But with day schools, children have enough time with their parents and are able to build relationships with them. Day schools are an equal balance between education and relaxation for the children. Pupils also have a less chance of getting their items stolen compared to boarding school where chances of theft are high. The only problem is that pupils get less time to study, but that can be easily ignored if you make your child go to an all day school.

     In the end, it comes down to the parent and the child themselves. The child and the parent have to be open to both ideas. Most parents don’t mind which type of school it is, as long as their children are getting the education that they need.  On the other hand, a lot of children said that they fear going to boarding school, more than they fear going to day school. They said, as I quote: “Boarding school freaks me out. Just the idea of being away from my parents scares me!” Another one added that her mom does everything for her, including organising her clothes for school and the next week, without her mom she would be nothing. Parents of children that go to boarding school actually argued that the schools have taught their children to be independent, giving them skills that they’ll need in the real world. But one mother said that her child has actually become more disciplined at day school. “The teachers work with her all day, including counselling, and it has changed her completely! Now she actually cleans her room without me telling her to do it.” She said.

     But most mothers, including fathers say that girl children actually become more morally upright at boarding school, particularly girl’s schools, because they teach girls morals as well as normal subjects. Discipline is also instilled in the child, especially in most catholic schools and Christian schools. But according to me, there are also some day schools that do the same, especially those that are religious.

         In the end, it depends on where you decide to take your child. When taking your child to a new school for the new year, make sure you do some research on each school that you want to take them to. Look at the advantages and disadvantages of each school that you have in mind. Go to the school website; even get to know the headmaster or headmistress, so that you make your child’s learning experience a good one and a safe one!        The Children's News Agency (CNA) with support from the European Union (EU)