The Minister of Community Development and Social Services Launches the Child Safeguarding Framework

The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) today launched the Child Safeguarding Framework developed with financial and technical support from UNICEF and Save the Children International. This is a comprehensive guide for all organizations that work with children without the presence of their parents and is aimed at enhancing the protection of children from abuse and violence when they are learning, playing, engaged in physical or spiritual activity – and interacting with a service provider or staff or volunteer from an organization.

“As a government, we recognize that safeguarding children is a collective responsibility, therefore, it was critical that we developed this Child Safeguarding Framework to provide guidance to all stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, faith-based institutions, media and communities, on how to prevent and protect children from harm,” stated Acting Permanent Secretary Mrs. Pumulo Mundale Moyo on behalf of  Hon. Doreen Sefuke Mwamba, Member of Parliament and Minister of Community Development and Social Services.

The Child Safeguarding Framework includes a set of principles, guidelines, and procedures for child safeguarding, along with tools and resources for monitoring and reporting incidents of child abuse and neglect. These unpack the provisions of the Children's Code on Child Safeguarding. This Framework will help all organizations, schools, churches and sports clubs, NGOs implementing activities with children – make sure children are safe while under their care. 

“When children are learning, playing or developing under the supervision of adults who are not their parents – we assume they are safe and nurtured.  Indeed, this is the case for most of the children most of the time – be it when they are in a school, sports club or religious setting, or participating in a community activity organized by an NGOs.  However, sometimes, the very people that are there to care for our children, cause them harm.  This can be intentional or unintentional.  It can be severe, such as sexual abuse or coercion or less severe, such as exposing a child to a physical fall – that could have been avoided.  Our vision is that every organization has a child safeguarding policy in place and implements it.  Then ALL children will be safe ALL the time.  The implementation of this Framework and the Children’s Code provisions of child safeguarding – are the single most important things that we can do with Government and other actors – to reduce violence in Zambia, ” said Penelope Campbell, the UNICEF Zambia Representative.

“The launch of the Child Safeguarding Framework marks a significant milestone in Zambia's commitment to child protection and underscores the dedication to creating a safer environment for all children in the country,” explained Jo Musonda, Save the Children Zambia Country Director.