AMECEA: Safeguarding Officers Hold Annual Planning Forum in Lusaka
Sandra Kunda
Safeguarding officers from the member conferences of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) gathered in Lusaka for their Annual Planning Forum, from January 20 to 23, 2026, at Kapingila Guest House.
Speaking during the official opening of the meeting, Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Secretary General, Very Rev. Fr. Francis Mukosa, welcomed the participants and called for the effective implementation of existing safeguarding policies.
Fr. Mukosa noted that while policies are in place, more needs to be done to strengthen safeguarding efforts, stressing that the public must be made aware of safeguarding offices.
He emphasized that these offices are not only meant to protect minors and vulnerable adults, but also serve the wider Church community by promoting safe and accountable environments for all.
On his part, the AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator, Fr. Florence Rutaihwa Rwehumbiza, emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration, learning, and networking among National Conferences to enhance the protection of children and vulnerable adults across the region. He described the meeting as a key platform for reflection, cross-learning, and the development of common safeguarding approaches within the Church.
Fr. Rwehumbiza noted that while significant progress has been made since 2019, such as the establishment of national safeguarding policies and offices, many dioceses still lack adequate safeguarding structures or have policies with serious gaps. He stressed the need for a “one-Church approach” through the standardization of safeguarding policies and practices across the AMECEA region.
The forum also marks the conclusion of AMECEA’s MAC project (2023–2025), which has achieved wide-ranging successes, including regional training, capacity-building in seminaries, increased awareness of child protection, and the strengthening of safeguarding structures following the implementation of Vos Estis Lux Mundi.
Participants are expected to develop recommendations to be shared with Secretaries General and the AMECEA Executive Board, aimed at improving safeguarding mechanisms at both national and diocesan levels.
The meeting has brought together 11 participants from within the AMECEA region.
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