Cases of child abuse in Zambia irks Catholic Bishops

ZCCB President Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu – Pic by Albert Mpezeni

Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) president Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu has described the statistics on reported cases of abused children in the country as a tragedy.

And the ZCCB President has called for the protection of Children and minors.

Speaking on behalf of other Catholic Bishops of Zambia during the opening of a one day workshop on Child protection held at Kapingila house today, Archbishop Mpundu also spoke against conspiracy silence on child abuse.

Archbishop Mpundu has further called for the reversal of the situation and announced that that the church stands in a singular position to spearhead the campaign.

He says he is aware that per month the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) records about 120 cases of children below the age of 8 are abused.

He says the cry of the Church is to mobilize everyone in the Church to fight the abuse of children.

And Archbishop Mpundu Mpundu has observed that there is conspiracy of silence in society on child abuse related cases.

Archbishop Mpundu says the situation of child abuse must be reversed, for the future of children in Zambia depends on them.

And Secretary for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors Monsignor Robert Oliver has commended the Catholic Church in Zambia on its stance on the protection of children and minors.

The one day Child Protection workshop at Kapingila house in Lusaka which drew 46 participants from all the 11 dioceses of Zambia was organised by Pope Francis’s 2014 Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

The Pontifical Commission goes around the world to promote local responsibility by assisting bishops, religious superiors and there conferences to develop guidelines, norms, and establish safe environments for children through mutual sharing of best practices.