LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes
@SunZambian
GOVERNMENT should create more jobs and empowerment opportunities for parents and guardians so they avoid sending children to sell merchandise on the streets.
Media Network on Child’s Rights and Development (MNCRD) member, Faith Chibwe, said sending children on the streets to vend was one of the children’s rights that has been violated in Zambia.
Ms Chibwe said MNCRD was a non-government organisation whose aim is to advocate for children’s rights and ensure that they are not violated.
In an interview with the Sun, Ms Chibwe said some of the violated children’s rights resulted in a high rate of early marriages, teenage pregnancies, child vending and others.
“It’s sad that we see these things everyday where children go selling merchandise which is not right. Children are supposed to be using that time to grow themselves physically, emotionally and mentally by doing schoolwork and playing,” he said.
Ms Chibwe said Government should also consider involving children in decision making so that their voices could be heard.
She said the other problem that promoted child marriages was the fact that, according to the customary law in Zambia, it did not define who a child was.
She said, “Anyone can get married as long as they have reached puberty and they have consent from their parents, which is not right.”
Meanwhile, Samuel Tembo, another MNCRD member, said because of belong to this organization, he understood who a child was and had learnt so much about children’s rights.
Mr Tembo said the organisation was advocating for the children’s rights and that it was represented in all the 11 provinces of Zambia.
“The organisation gets children who are 13 years and below, as you know a child is any person below the age of 18 years. Children’s rights are violated every day and they do not have anyone to advocate for them which means they do not have a say in this world,” he said.
Mr Tembo said the organisation used many forms to advocacy for children’s rights, such as newspapers, radio and television stations so that they can reach out to other children and advocate for their rights.
