Luanda – The National Children's Institute (INAC) registered around seven thousand cases of paternity denial during the year 2024 in Angola, the director of the institution, Paulo Kalesi has revealed.

According to him, last year around 9 thousand cases were registered, adding that currently there is a reduction of approximately two thousand cases.

Speaking to Angop on March 19, on Father's Day, Paulo Kalesi highlighted that Luanda, Benguela, Bié, Cabinda and Huambo are the provinces with the highest number of cases.

Paulo Kalesi reported that the Children's Institute has interacted with parents with the aim of making them aware of their responsibilities towards children.

“There are many parents who dedicate themselves to their children, working hard to protect, educate and care for them, but there are also other parents who deviate from their protective responsibilities”, he explained.

To him, cases of abandonment are a specific cause for great concern, which is why they should be trained for the safety of the children.

He said that when a father runs away from his responsibilities, he ends up creating consequences for his children, who often grow up unstructured, without guidance or protection.

“We believe that there is no justification for abandoning a child, so fathers, regardless of their position, must take over their parental responsibilities”, he stressed.

March 19th, besides being Father's Day in Angola, is also the day of Saint Joseph, a popular saint of the Catholic Church.

The concept of father is broad, and can be an adoptive father, foster father or stepfather.

The date, which originated in the United States of America in 1909, was designed with the intention of strengthening family ties.

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