Concern over children’s safety as El Niño alert remains high

DODOMA: AS the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) maintains that the threat of El Niño rains remains high, local government authorities and parents have been urged to step up efforts to ensure the safety of children, who are among the most vulnerable groups to weather-related disasters.

The children’s safety was highlighted in remarks by the National Coordinator and Board Secretary of the Tanzania Child Rights Forum (TCRF), Mr Ombeni Kimaro, during a meeting of Children’s Councils in Tanzania held in Dodoma on Friday afternoon.

The meeting was officiated by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Advocate Amon Mpanju, who launched the National Guideline for the Formation of Children’s Councils.

Weather-related issues, particularly El Niño, were among the concerns raised during the two-day event with Mpanju urging the local government authorities and its agencies to disseminate accurate information and educate communities.

He said non-governmental organisations should also disseminate the information to enable Tanzanians to prepare adequately, take precautions and store sufficient food to mitigate the impact of disasters, particularly on children, older people, people with disabilities and women.

“Another issue is preparing clean environments, clearing drainage channels and taking immediate action. We also call on government officials to change their mindset regarding cooperation with the private sector in development projects, such as Vision 2050, where 70 per cent of investment is expected to come from the private sector,” he said.

Other requests presented at the meeting included government action on the Marriage Act, ending unsupervised corporal punishment in schools and direct government support to ensure the sustainability of the Council, a child-led organisation established to promote children’s participation in local governance.

Responding to the concerns, Advocate Mpanju called on local government authorities and civil society organisations to effectively disseminate weather forecasts and warnings to communities to enable people to take appropriate action, including relocating from flood-prone areas.

“People should prepare, ensure they take precautions and store sufficient food. They should also protect themselves because disasters tend to affect vulnerable groups, particularly children, older people, people with disabilities and women. People living in valleys should move out, the environment should be cleaned and drainage channels should be put in place,” he said.

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Advocate Mpanju said the government had already started taking measures to address the challenges but stressed the need for everyone to participate.

He urged citizens to take action immediately rather than waiting until the rains begin.

He also promised that the ministry would set aside a special room equipped with ICT facilities for leaders of Children’s Councils in Tanzania to conduct the organisation’s activities.

Advocate Mpanju further said the government would finance the Council’s national meeting, urging organisers to ensure representation from all parts of the country.

“Regarding the lack of water in some schools, we have taken up the matter and the commission is there. The issue of toilets is also being addressed. Some are adequate, but they are not user-friendly or suitable, particularly for children with disabilities. We have taken up that matter,” he said.

The Council’s Chairperson, Mr Daniel Magembe, said some schools continued to use corporal punishment despite the existence of schools that perform well academically and maintain good discipline without using such punishment.

He also called on the government to invest in infrastructure in schools and roads, which affect children’s access to education, and urged the government to provide the Council with a fully furnished office equipped with computers to enable it to conduct its activities smoothly.

The meeting was coordinated by the Tanzania Child Rights Forum (TCRF), a platform with open membership committed to supporting the fulfilment of children’s rights in Tanzania. It was established in 2009 and registered in March 2012.

TCRF aims to empower and strengthen the capacity of rights holders and duty bearers and invest in evidence-based and timely advocacy, monitoring and reporting of best practices that promote the wellbeing and welfare of children.