The State Department Children Services has intensified a nationwide campaign to sensitize the general public on violence against children.
Speaking in Wang’uru in Kirinyaga County, Deputy Director Children Services, State Department of Social Protection Mr. Muhambi Mong’are, said the Department is engaging the community to stop the violence before it escalates. The theme of the campaign is “Spot It Stop It”.
The Officers had a meeting with the County Children Advisory Committee where they took them through existing policies, laws and later developed a plan to respond to the violence against children.
“We have been here in Kirinyaga meeting various stakeholders from the county to learn more on existing policies and laws. We have come up with a plan to respond to all cases. We are here in Wang’uru to join the community to create awareness towards ending the violence,” Mong’are said.
Mong’are said the major cases reported are: sexual, physical and emotional violence but they are going extra step on dealing with online violence. He said, “If we keep quiet, we will lose the entire community because the children will not have a safe environment to live.”
He urged the community to know that child protection is not solely a government role but a joint effort among the parents and children themselves. “We had a procession from Wang’uru Stadium to the Social Protection office to tell the community that child protection starts with you: Parents, Children and the society,” he said.
Mong’are noted the Ministry has developed a Child Protection Management Information System to capture all reported cases. The leading cases is on child neglect making children more vulnerable.
Statistics from the Ministry from July 2021 to June 2022 shows that Kirinyaga County reported a total of 1240 cases of Violence against Children with 1144 being Child neglect.
Jane Wanjiku from Catholic Diocese of Murang’a acknowledged the effort by the government on child protection noting the church will be on the first line in child protection.
“We as the church support the awareness campaigns and we shall do in our churches. However, parents have somehow failed. They are leaving their children putting much pressure on churches and government,” Wanjiku said
Peter Muthema from the Department of Labour Kirinyaga County said they have received many complaints on child labour where they are forced to participate in planting and harvesting of rice and other crops.
By Mutai Kipngetich
