Envoy urges coordination in child trafficking fight

Norwegian Ambassador Kikkan Haugen has called for coordination in combating child trafficking and other forms of child rights violations.

Haugen said this in Lilongwe on Sunday at the close of a two-day Hear Us Youth Festival organised by the Music Crossroads, a Norwegian-based child and youth rights activist Chance for Change, and Don Bosco Youth Centre—a child and youth rights arm of Don Bosco Catholic Parish in Area 23.

He said: “Trafficking in persons, especially children, has become a very troubling problem in the world and Malawi inclusive. We all need to take part and work together towards addressing the vice. We need to share knowledge and skills on how to deal with the vice.”

Haguen commended festival organisers for partnering to raise awareness about the evils of child trafficking and human rights violations, which will result in community ownership of the projects related to the child trafficking fight.

Chance for Change head of youth programme Sille Lukowski said child trafficking is one of the “most debated topics amongst the youth in Malawi at the moment”; hence, the decision by partners to theme the festival around it.

Lukowski said that more than 300 young people from 16 schools participated in the festival.

Music Crossroads director Matthews Mfune said five learners and a teacher from the winning school will participate in the world Hear Us Children Musical festival to take place in Spain soon. n