Seven Mzimba girls sexually assaulted within a month
Mzimba District Child Protection Committee (DCPC) has expressed concern over increased cases of defilement as recent statistics indicate that a total of seven cases were reported to police in just under a month.
Speaking during a DCPC meeting, Mzimba Police Child Protection Officer Cliff Dzoole revealed that the cases were reported to police during the month of September to October. He said this was the case despite several sensitization meetings on child protection with communities in the district.
“This is quite a worrisome development. I, therefore, would like to ask the child protection committee to critically look into this and find lasting solutions to this problem,” Dzoole said.
He added that apart from defilement, abduction cases were also rampant especially in Endigeni, Zubayumo and Bulala areas.
Dzoole explained that men are fond of just abducting little girls and taking them as their wives without considering their age and parental consent, a thing which, he said, is also fueling early marriages in the district.
“On our part as child protection officers at Mzimba Police, we are doing our best to curb the malpractice through sensitization through Mzimba Community Radio, school outreach programmes, as well as strengthening of Mzimba Youth Forum Against Crime,” he said.
Meanwhile, Community in Development Activities (COIDA) in partnership with Plan Malawi International has intervened with a child protection project.
COIDA’s Programmes Manager Jones Moyo said the purpose of the project is to increase understanding, respect for and fulfillment of the right to protection against violence by both children and youths.
“The project is expected to strengthen capacities of children and youth to promote and influence duty bearers to protect child rights in Mzimba District,” Moyo said.
Plan Malawi representative Dennis Kasambala said the project is aimed at fighting early marriages and child labour, among other child rights abuses.
The three-year project currently being implemented in Mzikubora, Edingeni and Mzukuzuku is funded by Plan Malawi International to the tune of K 22 million.
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