ETHIOPIA: The Ethiopian Catholic Church Child Nurturing and Protection Policy impacts stakeholders in all dioceses
The National Child Nurturing and Protection Office of the Ethiopian Catholic Church succeeded with the ninth awareness raising tour at the Eparchy of Bahir Dar Dessie on February 6, 2020.
In the workshop at the Eparchy, parish priests, diocesan secretariat staffs, Catholic institute workers, teachers, and educational Professionals took part.
Merhawit Chala the National Child Nurturing and Protection Officer said it is the Church’s responsibility to fulfill her mission which is to protect the life and the wellbeing of the society, especially the feeble and vulnerable.
The participants discussed how to prevent the children and vulnerable adults’ abuse in the Church as well as in the society. They underlined that the Church herself needs to be protected from offenses and that the role and contributions of all stakeholders must be clarified in the awareness raising program.
Women and Child Bureau officers from the government structures and police officers from justice institutions took part in the awareness raising programs organized in the dioceses. As per the explanation of the National Officer, the reverberation of the current socio-political instability in the country pauses a challenge for them in accomplishing their mission.
He, however, said the office is looking forward to formulate regionally standardized Child nurturing and protection training manuals, to strengthen the National Child Nurturing and protection Council, to establish Child Nurturing and Protection Club in schools, to strengthen the diocesan Child Nurturing and protection office structures, and to capacitating them in the near future.
By Habtamu Abrdew Beture
