Report declares Malawi “child friendly”

Malawi ranked top for 'child friendliness'

Malawi has been ranked top 10 amongst 52 African nations on its policies on child protection.

Former Tanzania Prime Minister and Organisation of African Unity Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim launched The African Report on Child Wellbeing for 2008 in Nairobi on Thursday.

The report was prepared by experts at the African Child Policy Forum. Malawi ranks first in its budgetary commitment to children, but has the 45th lowest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Africa.

Salim, chairman of the International Board of Trustees of the African Child Policy Forum said the report ranks African countries using an index of 40 indicators.

The report shows that Mauritius and Namibia are the most child friendly nations on the continent followed by Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, South Africa, Algeria, Kenya, Malawi, Cape Verde, Rwanda and Burkina Faso.

It shows that some of the poorest African nations like Burkina Faso are among the most children friendly "because they have appropriate laws and policies to protect child rights and effectively target their limited resources to provide basic needs for their children."

The report says "wealthier African nations lag at the bottom of the league for failing to protect their children against harmful practices".

The least friendly nations are Guinea Bissau, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Liberia, Chad, Swaziland, Guinea and the Comoros.

Two African countries — the anarchic Somalia and Western Sahara — were not included in the ranking because of lack of data and problems gaining access to the countries.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Women and Child Development director of child development, Hyacinth Kulemeka said there is need for a renewed action in terms of government’s position as duty bearers in an equation of children as rights holders.

Kulemeka said this on Thursday during activities to mark international day against child abuse.

“I appeal to all stakeholders to take part in the promotion and protection of child rights in order to build a better Malawi free from child abuse issues,” she said.

The director of child development said government encourages people to report child abusers to authorities.