Care for Nature Zambia is deeply concerned by unregulated sale of alcohol within communities in Mansa District as this is affecting children negatively and threatening progression of their rights. During a community engagement meeting held in Chapuswike village in Chief Chimeses’s chiefdoms, village headperson’s who attended the meeting bemoaned how vehicles that sale the local brew known as chibuku pass through communities selling the commodity to anyone and everyone willing without considering age or licensing.
This together with unregulated bars and taverns that play deafening music from morning till night time has become a source of concern as it is corrupting the morals of children and young people and affecting their development. Some children arrive at school drunk, while others drink within school premises and others just opt to stay away from school to sale or consume alcohol.
In the best interest of the child, we are appealing to Mansa Municipal council to conduct community inspections and bring to book people selling alcohol without licenses and also as a matter of urgency engage the mobile alcohol traders not to sale their goods anywhere and everywhere as this is causing massive problems within the communities.
We are hoping that Civic leaders can also work together with village head persons to ensure that there is sanity within the communities if children are to thrive and develop into responsible citizens.
As an organization, we are working with Chiefdom trusts to develop child protection policies and committees that will look into the rights and welfare of children within the communities and ensure children are not abused and exploited, as we have seen children being exploited in the mining sector and markets.
Child safeguarding is a responsibility of the whole community and through team work, we anticipate seeing child friendly communities where children have access to recreation facilities and resources that will help them develop, as compared to todays communities that are exposing children to harm. When we invest in children we are likely to have better leaders and our country will develop.
Lastly we want to extend our gratitude to traditional leaders we are working with among them Chief Chisunka, Chief Kalaba and Chief Chimese who have committed to promoting the rights and welfare of children. We are hoping that with time, all chiefdoms will develop child protection policies that will protect children from abuse, violence and exploitation. Thank you very much.
Nsama Musonda Kearns
Executive Director – Care for Nature Zambia
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