AMECEA: Concludes Training on Child Safeguarding at SSCBC, With Launch of Policy
The Team from AMECEA, Archbishop of Juba and the priests for group photo
Ginaba Lino
The association of Member Episcopal Conference of Eastern Africa or (AMECEA) on 4th May 2023 concluded a three-day training to religious members on child safeguarding at Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, together with a launch of the policy for safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
The training aimed at strengthening priests and nuns on how they will work to ensure that every child and vulnerable adult gets their rights and dignity respected.
On the occasion, the Archbishop of Juba Archdiocese Most Rev. Stephen Ameyu Martin stated that the Vatican has directed all bishops to follow the child safeguarding policy which included the vulnerable adults.
“On this occasion of launching child safeguard policy, it’s important for us to remember that it is an obligation for us in the universal Church. We have been instructed by Rome that we must follow these policies especially the safeguard of child and the vulnerable people.”
Archbishop Ameyu said, the document must be in place in the Bishops’ conferences and dioceses.
He therefore urged all the dioceses in Sudan and South Sudan to endorse the document and ensure that it is active.
Most Rev. Ameyu called on the representatives of the dioceses to understand the importance of implementing the policy of the child safeguard.
“My dear people of God, we have had a four-day workshop in regard to this document of the protection of the child and vulnerable people. It’s important for us to understand that its implementation is the most important thing.”
He stressed that the document maybe beautiful and nice to read, but it should not just end up just as a document.
Archbishop Ameyu added that it’s a mandate for each and every one to protect children from any form of abuse.
He called on AMECEA Region to pray for Sudan as the conflict continues, citing that the war affect the Church and the innocent people.
On his part, the coordinator at AMECEA Pastoral Department Fr Emmanuel Chimombo explained that at AMECEA Secretariat, the child safeguarding desk falls under the pastoral department and they ensure that things are well within the region.
“Under this (Pastoral) department, we have the child safeguarding desk domesticated, but we work hand in hand with the other departments to ensure that pastoral issues are well coordinated within the region.”
Fr Chimombo said, the role of AMCEA is to support conferences in building and strengthening initiatives that come from the conferences.
“Our role is to support conferences in building and strengthening initiatives that come from conferences, like at this moment, we have come to strengthen the initiative of safeguarding. So we come in looking at the needs that are there in a conference and we come to support and strengthen them.”
“As Sudan and South Sudan are launching the child and vulnerable adults safeguarding policy, we are joining them to journey together in the spirit of synodality, and to implement and execute pastoral programs, “Chimombo added.”
Rev. Chimombo stated that AMECEA ensures that the understanding of safeguarding in Sudan and South Sudan should be the same way it’s in Malawi or any other conference.
He narrated that the reason of having a specific policy on child safeguarding is to ensure that all children and vulnerable adults are truly protected.
Meanwhile, the National coordinator for Justice and Peace, who represented the office of Child safeguarding in the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ conference Jim Long John, appreciated AMECEA for always supporting the conference to make sure that they move together.
“I would like to thank AMECEA, for giving us the opportunity to go to Kenya and be oriented on how to come up with this document.”
Jim Long said the process has not been easy, but they have worked hard to make sure that the child safeguarding document is out.
“It has been a long time going over this issue as a committee, we had to go through it with care and dedication and that is why today the child safeguarding document is out.”
He adds that South Sudan is one of the countries which has done a lot of harm to children because of the war and it’s the mandate of the Church to fight for the protection of the children.
The document will provide the Conference staff and partners with clear guidelines in case of suspected child abuse.
