STOP
CHILD LABOUR- MPHEREMBE
By Frank Kauteka Tembo
Inkosi Mpherembe of Mzimba has called on for collaborative efforts
amongst chiefs and the local community to arrest child labour if education is
to improve in the district.
Senior
Chief Inkosi Mpherembe of Mzimba has called on parents to stop child labor and
encourage children to concentrate in education if Malawi is to develop socio
economically.
Inkosi Mpherembe made the statement on Saturday at the commemoration of African
Child Day held at Mpherembe under the theme elimination of harmful social,
cultural economic practices affecting children; our responsibility.
The
Senior Chief said child labor is rampant in the district especially in tobacco
estates and in families where there are heads of cattle and goats where
children are involved in instead of attending school classes.
“Looking
at the abuse that our young children face in our communities it could be true
that these are still rampant to what extent I may not quantify the situation
but when we look at the issues where children are not allowed to attend school
sessions all the days of the academic term then we recognize that the problems
are there.
“Certain
children are sent to head cattle and goats instead of going to school, our
young girls when they reach maturity they are supposed to be indoors for two
weeks or more whilst they undergo for counseling by the elderly women on how
they have to live thereafter. But looking at these practices, I think it’s high
time in conjunction with our elders in villages we have to sit down and relook
at such practices they are not health at all because they breach child rights
to attend to school.” He said.
Mpherembe
further said there is need for the courts to consider giving stiffer
punishments for perpetrators of child abuse so that they should be exemplary to
would be offenders.
He
finally, urged parents to be in the forefront allowing children to attend
education for the betterment of the country’s socio economic vision.
Mzimba
District Labor Officer, Edward Gondwe who was the guest of honor on the day also
joined the bandwagon condemning the rise of child labor in the district hence
the need for collaborative efforts.
He
said as M’mbelwa district council, a lot of measures have taken place in order
to reduce child abuse in the district in conjunction with various Non
Governmental Organizations such as Tovwirane, Youth Watch Net, Plan Malawi and
World Vision among others and various stakeholders.
Gondwe
added that the Ministry of Labour is encouraging various stakeholders to intensifying
child inspection in the workplaces not sparing tobacco farms and child abuse awareness
meetings in the district to eliminate the malpractice.
