ZAMBIA: ZCCB Holds Safeguarding Workshop

Mwenya Mukuka

Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Secretary General Fr. Francis Mukosa says people that are called to offer service to the church in various ministries have a huge task of making it and society better and safe for children and vulnerable persons.
Father Mukosa said the church has suffered a lot in the recent past because of the consequences of cases of child abuse.
“Particularly the church has suffered in terms of loss of reputation in one way or the other. And also, we have seen some people here and there have even backslidden in their faith because of what has happened and to some extent of [we may] say what is happening,” he said.
Father Mukosa added that the church in Zambia takes such workshop very serious as it would help the church to embark on a serious mission of envangelisation.
He also said that it will help the church in Zambia and worldwide to regain its credibility once again.
The ZCCB secretary general was speaking recently when he opened a workshop facilitated online by the Catholic Safeguarding Institute.
The workshop orientated participants on the issues of sexual abuse and child sexual abuse, safeguarding, and the protection of minors, particularly on the principles and practices necessary to live out safeguarding at the personal, community, and ministry levels.
It also focused on enabling participants to develop a sense of ownership of their safeguarding and child protection policy.
Other key focus areas were on ensuring a safe ministry for priests and religious, a safe community or environment free of abuse and a safe self which entails avoiding causing harm to anyone.
And ZCCB National Child Safeguarding Officer, Fidelis Hamweemba,
said the workshop which drew 45 participants further looked at the key updates in the Canon law on Safeguarding as well as other documents that were released from the Holy see like “Vox estis lux Mundi.”
“We also looked at some church traditions that perpetuate abuse with specific reference to clericalism and patriarchy,” Mr Hamweemba said.
The workshop was supported by Aid to the Church in Need International and ran from 20th of September and ended on the 1st of October 2021.