Monday, November 30, 2009

Eye of the Child hails Prof. Peter Mutharika

Malawi's Justice and Constitution Affairs Minister Professor Peter Mutharika. Pic by Malawi Digest.

By Emmanuel Sobilika

Malawi’s leading child rights non-governmental organisation, the Eye of the Child has hailed Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor Peter Mutharika on the passing of the long-awaited National Registration Bill.

This has been said by the Executive Director for the Eye of the Child, Maxwell Matewere following the National Assembly’s approval of the legislation two weeks ago.

Speaking in an interview with Malawi Digest on Sunday, Matewere said that his organisation congratulates the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs for tabling the Bill this time around and having it passed in the August House.

“This is good news to all Malawians of goodwill and the Minister of Justice Professor Peter Mutharika must be applauded for the good job well done,” he said.

On the Bill itself, Matewere said that it’s a welcome development for the country as it will help in the identification of Malawians as true citizens of the country.

“The new Law will help the Malawi government in its efforts to provide material assistance and support to economically disadvantaged families in many areas including housing, education, health and nutrition,” he said.

Matewere, whose organisation champions the rights of children in Malawi, said that the new legislation is also particularly important in that it will help in the safe guarding of the rights of children in the country.

He said that the new law will ensure that priority attention is given to the rights and needs of children in the country.

“In the past we have been having cases of child labour, forced marriages and many other violations on children but it was very difficult to prove them because identification on who was a child was very difficult,” he said.

Matewere said that following the passing of the new law, children can be easily identified and the law will be easily enforced thereby preventing child labour and forced marriages on children.

Following the passing of the Bill on the Registration Bill, the State President is expected to assent it into Law anytime soon after Parliament rises later this week. The new law became a Bill in 2006.

Among many other things on children, the new law is expected to allow the registration of every child born in Malawi and registration of any adopted child in the country-Malawi Digest.

1 comment:

  1. Congartulations!! This is a big stride to aid in the planning for the vulnearble. A great accomplishment in regards to the UNCRC. A move to curb corruption. Thanks to Plan Malawi, Eye of the child, CRIDOC, CRIN, UNICEF, GOM, and many others.

    University of London student doing Msc Child rights

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