I was reading the news today when I came across the shocking story about a 35-year-old woman who burnt the hands of two young girls found stealing maize in her garden. The woman was fined K400,000 and was ordered to pay 100,000 to each of the girls for the damage caused. Even though I believe that thee punishment should have been more severe, I will not linger on it.
This is not an isolated incidence as there have been similar incidents that have occurred throughout the country. You'd be surprised at how many children from as little as three years old are subjected to harm. Many have been burned, severely chastised, and physically punished for minor offenses like stealing K 600 from their parents or stealing relish.
Children all around the nation experience horrifying forms of abuse from their parents, guardians, and even fellow community members, ranging from physical to sexual abuse. In cases of child abuse instances, the offenders are apprehended and only receive fines. Even with its flaws, justice is carried out, and sometimes, the offenders even escape punishment. But I frequently wonder what happens to the kids who have been subjected to this kind of abuse. Are they just returned to society without receiving any assistance, such as counseling or relocation in situations when they are being abused at home? Considering that trauma can cause serious medical and psychological harm to the victims in the long run.
When I did my little research, I wasn’t impressed with what I found on the ground when it comes to aiding victims (children) after the cases are included. In terms of counseling or therapy, there appears to be knowledge and accessibility challenges, particularly for the victims in remote areas.
It seems that, government, under the ministry of Gender, Children and Community development largely focuses on the child justice part and not necessary care and protection as stipulated in the Child Care, Protection and Justice act of 2020.
Punishing the criminals is insufficient; these children are left to cope with the trauma of the abuse all on their own. Children, particularly those from low-income families, lack access to trauma-focused counseling, which is designed to help them handle mental health issues caused by sexual abuse, violence, and even grief.
There must be a very comprehensive and stated approach to ensuring that children of all backgrounds receive all of the necessary assistance to help them recover or deal with their trauma. And if this helpful assistance is already available, it should be made more widely known and more accessible for children of all backgrounds . When it comes to child abuse, children, parents, guardians, and community members must be aware of the types of help and assistance which is available and where it can be obtained.
All in all, as much as it is everybody’s responsibility to protect children, the community, departments and organizations involved in the care, and protection of children need to put in extra effort and resources to make sure that children are given the support they need to cope with different kinds of trauma.
This is a very informative and eye-opening article. It is sad and shocking to learn about the many forms of abuse and violence that children in Malawi face every day. I agree that more needs to be done to protect them and ensure their rights and dignity. I hope that the government and other partners will take this issue seriously and invest more resources and efforts in strengthening the child protection system. I would also appreciate hearing from the children and young people themselves, who are the most affected by this problem. Their voices and opinions matter and should be listened to and respected. Thank you for raising awareness on this important topic.