ETHIOPIA: Catholic Church Launches Diocesan Child Nurturing and Protection Policy
In a move to fully embrace the implementation of Child Nurturing and Protection Policy, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia on 22nd May 2018, officially launched the Ethiopian Catholic Church Child Nurturing and Protection Policy in a ceremony that also included the approval of the council members for the program as well as the commissioning of diocesan child nurturing and protection policy focal persons from all the 13 dioceses in the country.
The event took place during the 44th ordinary plenary of Ethiopian Catholic Bishops and was held in Addis Ababa at the Bishops’ Conference Centre. According to the Secretary General of Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat (ECS) Rev Abba Hagos Hayish, CM, all the Ethiopian Catholic Church Child Nurturing and Protection policy council or committee members, the diocesan child nurturing and protection policy focal persons, all the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat staff as well as staff from the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa signed the code of conduct in front of the bishops.
Abba Hagos explained that the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops conference received communication from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in May 2011 requesting them to develop the child protection policy.
According to that guideline the Bishops conference reflected on the issue during their plenary after which they mandated the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat (ECS) to work on child protection policy.
In November 2011 ECS presented the policy to the Bishops during their subsequent plenary meeting and the draft was approved. Following the approval of the draft, the Child protection Policy was mandated to Woman and Child Affairs Department at the Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission for dissemination and awareness creation through workshops. A copy of the draft policy was also sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on which a response came back in 2013 with a few recommendations.
In 2016, the Bishops proposed the review of the 2011 Draft policy, working for the recommendation through the team established under the ECS Secretary General.
The team had an opportunity to attend the 15-days training workshop organized by AMECEA Pastoral Department in Malindi Kenya in February 2017. According to Abba Hagos, the workshop proved quite instrumental in the revision of Child Protection Policy for the Ethiopian conference which was eventually approved by Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference in July 2017.
The conference has since developed a structure that stands by itself but, directly accountable to the Bishops’ conference through the Secretary-General. This included the establishment of the National Office as well as the appointment of the Officer for the Child Nurturing and Protection which took place in January 2018.
“In the last three months the office has been developing activity plan for the next three years as well as sharing the concept paper with partners for funding purpose,” Abba Hagos said adding that the office has already raised fund for a one-year activities plan. Part of these activities included the official launching of Policy by the conference.
“While we are implementing the structures where report can be reviewed and can be channelled towards responsible body, we are also focusing on creating knowledge and the understanding of the child protection that minors have to be respected and their dignity upheld,” said Abba Hagos adding that Since the Ethiopian Government has also come up with a child protection policy, the Catholic Church intends to partner with it and other stake holders to ensure that the mission is accomplished.
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By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
