(CHILD FRIENDLY VERSION) Prepared by Rabecca Ngulube Chipoya- National Child Protection Coordinator Connie Haakalaki Muleya-National ICT Administrator Copyright SOS Children’s Villages Zambia @June 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The information in this booklet is adapted from the SOS Children’s Villages International Child Protection Policy
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FOREWORD Child abuse and neglect is a persistent challenge that is distressing for all concerned people including children, parents, the Government and the entire Zambian community. At SOS Children’s Villages Zambia, we are committed to preventing abuse whenever we can and to respond quickly and appropriately when concerns about child abuse and child neglect arise. We shall try to create and maintain a caring and protective environment for the children. Our hope is that this booklet will help children understand the position of the SOS Children’s Villages Zambia on child abuse and also let the children know what to do if they feel abused or when they see another child being abuse. Everybody has the responsibility to protect children from all forms of abuse. So let us all make child protection our business.
NATIONAL DIRECTOR – SOS Children’s Villages Zambia
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Hello My Friend
Here is a copy of the Child Protection Policy for you and your friends to read, discuss and use. The booklet is a very important document for SOS Children’s Villages Zambia because it tells everyone what we believe about keeping children safe and how to work for your rights. Do you know why it is called a Policy? It is a Policy because everyone - adults and children and you too need to respect what is written in it and actually follow it. Why should we all follow it? We all need to follow it in order to get on well with each other, to feel safe and protected. The Policy clearly tells us that “Any kind of abuse and neglect of children must not be accepted”
Child protection is everyone’s business!!!
The Policy explains three things which we all need to know:What we understand by the words ‘child abuse’ and ‘neglect’ What SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is willing to do so that you and other children are kept safe from any kind of abuse What to do if you or another child has been abused or harmed 3
WHY DO WE NEED THE CHILD PROTECTION POLICY? We know that: Any child can be at risk of abuse and neglect Some boys and girls are more likely to be abused and ill-treated because they look different, have a disability, they are ill or because they speak in a different language Usually children are abused or ill-treated by someone they know and trust. The wounds of ill-treatment and abuses are not always seen or visible – but these wounds need to heal so that the child can live a happy life again
Do you know the different types of child abuse????? Do you understand what neglect means????
Physical Abuse: - This is when children are beaten or ill-treated in other ways like scalding (burning) with hot water, hot cooking oil, and a hot pressing iron. Nobody has the right to cause pain to another person and certainly not to a child and others who are weaker. It is not right for parents and adults who are responsible for taking care of children to allow people to treat children badly. Adults need to help children if they are being ill-treated.
Sexual Abuse: -
Nobody has the right to force or ask to sleep with you, to kiss you, to touch or play
with your private parts. If you don’t like the way you are touched or looked at, you can and must say ‘NO’. Nobody has to look at bad pictures of naked people in magazines or video’s.
Neglect: - Growing up is not easy at all. To grow well, children need support, care, love and respect from adults. It is the work of the adults and parents to give this support, care, love and respect to the children. This includes looking after the children so nothing bad happens to them, giving enough food, taking children to school, hospital, providing shelter, and clothes and generally treating them well. When adults and parents do not care and provide for the children when they can, we call it neglect.
Mental Abuse: - This is when a child is made to feel they are of no use- they are not worth being loved. Scaring children or making them afraid , saying bad things about them, making them look stupid or foolish – all these cause mental abuse. 4
Child to Child Abuse: - abuse is not only done on children by adults, children can abuse other children. They may not be aware that what they are doing to the other children is not right. Someone has to explain to them that it is wrong and it should not be done to others. It is the work of adults and parents to explain this to the child that is abusing others. There is punishment for this kind of behavior even for child offenders. WHAT SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES ZAMBIA WANTS TO TELL THE CHILDREN
NO You have rights and this includes the right to say “NO”
Violence is not allowed
SOS Children’s Villages Zambia will listen to you and take you seriously. So tell someone or your
‘Person of Trust’ (POT)
WHAT SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES ZAMBIA WANTS TO TELL PEOPLE WHO WORK AND LIVE WITH CHILDREN All people including children want to be loved. This is good for building relationships in our lives. To embrace a child lovingly is not abuse. SOS Children’s Villages Zambia supports you in raising the children in an atmosphere without violence. In case an abuse incident occurs you are not alone. The rights and well-being of children come first- Best Interest of the child. Take every indication of abuse even the slightest seriously and be there if the children need you!!!!!! 5
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF ABUSE In each facility there is a Person of Trust (POT) who you can turn to when something worries you and you want to talk about it. If you feel you have been abused or have seen or observed abuse, you should talk to these Persons of Trust (POTS). Remember you have a say when electing a Person of Trust- it is your choice. You and the adults should know the POTS and how to contact them. Check around the Facilities on notice boards or doors and windows for addresses, photos and phone numbers for the POTS. Remember, you can also talk to any adult you are free with. The POT is there to listen to you, to talk with you and together with you decide what will be done. The POT will have to talk about your concern or what happened only with people who need to know about it. The POT will also ensure that you or the child that has been abused feel better. The POT will need to do the best he/she can to protect you from further harm. The best way to make sure that child abuse is prevented is for you to know your rights and responsibilities, know what to do if you or one of your friends is at risk of being abused or harmed. SOS Children’s Villages Zambia encourages you to speak openly about child protection even though it can be difficult at times. This helps the adults better understand what you need to feel safe and how to protect you.
Remember child protection is everyone’s business make it yours too!!!!!!
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APPENDIX 1 The following is a simpler version of the African Charter ON Human Rights (1981) for you to properly understand and tell your friends about their rights too. It was prepared by the Organization for African Unity now known as the African Union. Children have rights as well as obligations that they need to fulfil. These go together when talking about children’s rights. Children also need to do their share in the society. This is specifically stated in the African Charter. We use the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights together with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC) as the work of SOS Children’s Villages is based on the UNCRC. Right 1 Name and Identity: Every child has a right to have a name. We have a right to be registered after birth. We have a right to be citizens of a country. Right 2 No Discrimination: All children have the same rights. There should be no discrimination against children because of their race, religion, colour, sex, disability, language, or ethnic group. Right 3 Health: Every child should be healthy. We should be immunized, live in a clean home, eat good food and drink clean water. Our government should provide health services for us. Right 4 Drugs: We should be protected from drugs and other harmful things like alcohol and cigarettes. Drugs and alcohol can interfere with our growth and education. Right 5 Education: Many children, because of different reasons, do not go to school. These children are tied to work in the house or other work to earn money somewhere else. BUT, all of us children have the right to be educated. The government must make sure that we are given the chance to go to school. Right 6 Freedom of expression: We have the right to think and express ourselves in public. Right 7 Separated children: We should not be separated from our parents and families. Children who are separated from their parents have rights like all other children. They also need special protection and help. They should be helped to re-join their families or another family.
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Right 8 Care and Protection: Our parents should care for us. They should protect us against danger. Some children who do not have parents should also be cared for and protected. Parents and Teachers should never hurt or injure children when they are trying to teach them to behave well. Right 9 Child labour: We should not be made to do very heavy, difficult, and dangerous work which only adults should do. Right 10 Refugee children: Children who are forced to run away from their own countries have rights. They should be protected and helped. Right 11 Children and war: Children should not be made to fight in wars. We should be protected from the dangers of war. Right 12 Harmful social practices: We have the right to be protected from some cultural practices that interfere with our growth, physical and mental development, health and education. For example we should be protected from early marriages and Female Genital Mutilation. Right 13 Sexual Exploitation: We should not be cheated or forced to engage in sex. It is against the law. Right 14 Child abuse and torture: We have a right not to be abused or tortured Right 15 Orphans: Children whose parents have died because of HIV/AIDS or for any other reason have the same rights as all other children. Right 16 Handicapped children: Children who are disabled have the same rights as all children
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Right 17 Children and the Law: Every child who is accused or found guilty of committing a crime has the right to special treatment. A lawyer should represent the child; there should be a special court for children. If the child is imprisoned he should not be tortured or treated badly or put in the same prison with adults.
My duties as a child
As a child, I have a duty to my parents, family, society and country. I have the duty to respect my parents and my family. I also have the duty to respect other people who include other children and adults. It is my duty to help them when they need help. I have a duty to serve my country the best way I can. I have a duty to preserve and respect the good things in my African culture and make the society a better one.
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