SUDAN AND SOUTH SUDAN: Catholic Bishops Commit to Child Safeguarding Initiatives
Bishops from Sudan and South Sudan Bishops Conference with Staff Members from the Secretariat and Mr. George Thuku from AMECEA (red necktie)
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Sudan and South Sudan has voiced their commitment towards establishing a child safeguarding department, first at the conference level then later on at the dioceses. This, according to the President of the Bishops Conference Rt. Rev. Edwardo Hiiboro, follows a workshop organized by AMECEA to the Bishops of the two countries during their Plenary Assembly in Juba on October 26.
The Bishops Plenary Assembly was held between 23-36 October under the theme “Bind Us Together”
“I am happy that during this plenary, among the many topics we had chosen as Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan was Child Safeguarding, and we had one full day of workshop on that. We as Bishops from Sudan and South Sudan consider child protection a priority for which we are committing ourselves to work towards prevention of all forms of abuse, atrocity and violence against children,” Bishop Hiiboro who is also the Local Ordinary of Tombura Yambio Diocese said.
He further indicated that the Bishops from the two countries, despite the difficulties their countries are currently facing, have made their stand in support of the Holy Father, to protect, detect and stop any abuse against the minors and vulnerable adults.
The workshop was organized and facilitated by AMECEA Pastoral Department under the Child Protection Desk.
“It was, indeed, an eye opener,” said the facilitator Mr. George Thuku, the AMECEA Child Safeguarding Officer who shared with the Bishops the policies and guidelines on child safeguarding as well as papal recommendations as well as the priorities set by some of the Bishops Conferences in the region.
Apart from child protection, Bishop Hiiboro indicated that the Plenary Assembly was an opportunity for them as Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan to connected, first with God who is the source of their lives, and secondly for them to connect with each other as shepherds and stewards in God’s delicate vineyard and ponder over their mission towards the people of God in the two countries.
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By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
