Abwenzi360’s Arise Project, generously funded by AmplifyChange, kicked off with an impactful engagement meeting in Ngabu Chikwawa. The gathering brought together key stakeholders, including the four senior group village heads – Kalulu, Therere, Chaonanjiwa, and Nkumaniza – the Village Development Committee (VDC), Victim Support Unit (VSU), Child Protection Committee (CPC), the Police, and the Judiciary.
During the meeting, the CPC detailed the procedures they follow in handling cases related to child abuse, defilement, and gender-based violence (GBV). They explained the steps taken to navigate through proper channels until a judgment is reached by the court. However, it was noted that numerous cases remain unresolved due to obstacles within the system.
The stakeholders consequently unveiled the root causes of trouble in Ngabu:
1) Negligence: Corruption plagues the system, with individuals receiving bribes, failing to report cases, and volunteers hesitant to work due to ethical concerns.
2) Defilement Traditions: Village customs and chiefs’ approval contribute to rising defilement cases. Chiefs, often influenced by bribes or personal relationships, pardon perpetrators, fueling a cycle of abuse and child marriages.
3) Elopement: Men marrying young girls flee to Mozambique to evade accountability, prolonging injustice.
4) Parental Complicity: Bribery silences parents, leading them to testify in favor of perpetrators, claiming the promise of marriage.
Proposed way forward:
1) Community Building: Abwenzi360 should help forge strong working relationships among community structures.
2) Sensitization: Educate village heads on discerning and handling specific cases.
3) Judicial Swiftness: Expedite defilement cases in the courts for timely justice.
4) Resource Support: Abwenzi360 should provide the much-needed resources to bolster case workers.
5) Collaboration: Volunteers should build robust relationships with the police. Work collectively, share the load, and seek protection.
Mr. Sululu, a dedicated Child Protection Worker, courageously and the police echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and directing cases to the appropriate offices as some report to offices which do not deal with such cases such as road traffic.
Following the discussion, action points were established to combat these challenges. While numerous issues were on the table, the heartening takeaway is that everyone pledged to play their part in the battle against child abuse and GBV with the Arise Project.
Let’s amplify these voices, break the chains, and create a safer, more just community!
