AMECEA: AMECEA Child Safeguarding Desk Engages Zambia Catholic Clergy
AMECEA Secretariat has engaged Zambia National Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) in a two-day Child safeguarding consultation which took place in Lusaka from October 9
AMECEA Secretariat has engaged Zambia National Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) in a two-day Child safeguarding consultation which took place in Lusaka from October 9 to 10 to discuss how to journey together in sensitizing fellow clergy and putting down the necessary safeguarding measures in the parishes.
Representing AMECEA Secretariat were the Secretary General Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Makunde and the Pastoral Department which is championing the project under the Child Safeguarding Desk, while ZCCB brought together representatives of the clergy from every diocese in the country.
Welcoming the AMECEA delegates to the meeting, the ZCCB Assistant Secretary General Fr. Justin Matepa expressed optimism that the consultation meeting would re-ignite the Conference’s commitment and passion, but also expand the participants’ knowledge so that they may solidly place themselves at the fore front safeguarding minors.
On his part, the National president of the Association of Zambian Diocesan Clergy (AZADCC) Fr Dennis Punthamboyo strongly reminded the clergy of their mandatory obligation to collaborate and report cases of abuse for appropriate action. He was therefore grateful to AMECEA Secretariat through the Safeguarding Office for coming to enforce their commitment to the implementation of resolutions and commitments made during the launch of the AMECEA Child Protection Standards and Guidelines which took place in Nairobi in May 2019.
The AMECEA Secretary General Fr. Anthony Makunde has appreciated the Conference for their dedication to the course of safeguarding minors, noting that the meeting had a 100% attendance. He invited the delegates to deliberate and give sound recommendations on how the Church would deal with the safeguarding of minors, noting that their recommendations would greatly inform the upcoming meeting of the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences in the region which will soon take place in Nairobi to deliberate on the same matters.
According to the report that AMECEA Online has received from AMECEA’s Child Safeguarding officer, Mr George Thuku, there was an overwhelming representation of the dioceses in Zambia Conference.
Some of the gaps inn safeguarding of minors within the Zambian Church which participants deliberated on included the absence of child safeguarding component in priestly formation in the seminaries, lack of formation on on child safeguarding in parish, lack knowledge regarding reporting of abuse cases, proper documentation in the dioceses.
The meeting also made some specific recommendations for consideration by the Bishops when they shall meet to discuss Child safeguarding in the region.
The meeting ended with a resolution to partner in sensitizing the clergy in Zambia on the need to safeguard all children, noting that children are gifts from God to the Zambian Church.
The participants have also committed themselves to to support the Bishops in Zambia to implement safeguarding measures in all the parishes and Church ran institutions as envisioned in the Zambian Conference of Catholic Bishops Policy on Child Safeguarding.
AMECEA Online
