Malanje- Angola's ombudswoman, Florbela Araújo defended Wednesday in Malanje the creation of re-education centers for minors in the country's 18 provinces, to safeguard the physical and moral well-being of children in conflict with the law.
According to the ombudswoman, minors in conflict with the law should not be imprisoned with adults, hence the need to create conditions for them to be in a different place.
Florbela Araújo made this statement while delivering a lecture on the Role of the Ombudsman in the Defense of Children's Rights, addressed to members of the government, judicial magistrates and the Public Prosecutor's Office, municipal administrators, provincial directors, traditional authorities and students.
According to the magistrate, reality proves that cohabitation between children and adults in prisons, instead of rehabilitating them, makes them more likely to commit crimes, due to living with people who are especially dangerous.
During her dissertation, she called for the strengthening of mechanisms to protect children's rights within the family and the monitoring of minors' actions, so that they are not subjected to practices that undermine their physical and moral integrity.
The magistrate repudiated the negligence of some parents and guardians regarding minors’ upbringing, a situation that makes them vulnerable to practices that are harmful to their integral development.
In view of this, Floribela Araújo pointed out some child protection measures that can be applied to families, such as physical presence, imposing rules of conduct, psychological tests, reprimand, assisted liberty, among others, which help to prevent children from going astray.
The magistrate emphasized that the Ombudsman's Office remains focused on safeguarding children's rights, with a Department for Socially Vulnerable, a Permanent Commission in charge of protecting children's rights, as well as a free helpline for children, the elderly and other defenseless people.
The ombudswoman conducted a three-day working visit to Malanje, as part of her program to assess the functioning of the ombudsman's office in the province. ACC/NC/PBC/DAN/AMP
