SOLWEZI LOCAL AUTHORITY ASSURES OF NO SCHOOL DROP OUTS DUE TO DROUGHT
The local authority in Solwezi District of North-Western Province has assured that no child will drop out of school due to drought induced displacement.
Speaking during an En vironmental Panel Discu ssion with duty bearers, Children and Youths, Solwezi Mayor, Remmy Kalepa who was represented by the Deputy Mayor, Adrian Nkolomba, said government will ensure that the rights of children in the province are promoted and protected during the national disaster period.
Mr Kalepa said the local authority will ensure that children’s right to food is not affected by drought conditions which has been declared as a national disaster and emergency by President Hakainde Hichilema.
He said the council is aware that children are more likely to face poverty and child protection risks when their households are largely affected by drought.
“Children are more likely to face hunger, become severely malnourished or contract deadly diseases when they are cut off from nutritious food, safe water, Sanitation facilities or health care,” he said.
Mr Kalape said it is the duty of the local authority to ensure that children are living in a healthy and sustainable Environment.
He said by virtue of being signatory to the convention of the Rights of the Child Zambia will adhere to the authoritative guidelines that have been set in the General Comment 26.
Mr Kalepa has since assured the children and members of the public at large that his office will push for the adoption of the General Comment 26 in Zambia which is advocating for the protection of children from the effects of environmental degradation.
Speaking at the same event, a pupil from Solwezi Urban Day Secondary School, Henry Mufunte, said environmental degradation deprives children of their rights to food through drought.
Mufunte therefore, appealed to government to come to the aid of children by providing extra food to families that have been adversely affected by the drought this year.
“Drought this year has caused low production of food which means that children will be most vulnerable to food insecurity, which consequently might lead to diseases like malnutrition especially in rural areas where most parents are not able to provide for their children,” he said.
Zambia, has this year recorded an extraordinary drought which has affected three quarters of the country with the exception of the Northern part of the country.