Luanda- At least 4,706 children were victims of sexual abuse in Angola between March 2021 and March 2022, said Tuesday in Luanda the director-general of the National Children Institute (INAC), Paulo Kalessei.
The official, who was speaking at the presentation of the balance sheet of the national campaign on sexual violence against children, said Luanda tops the list with 2,520 cases notified.
The province of Zaire follows with 421 cases, Benguela with 392, Huíla with 383, Huambo with 242, Uíge with 202, Malanje with 160, Moxico with 62, Bengo with 57 and Bié with 56. Cuando Cubango with 54, Kwanza Norte with 42, Kwanza Sul with 32, Cunene with 35, Luanda Norte with 17, Namibe with 11, Cabinda with 11 and Luanda Sul with nine.
During a campaign launched in 2021, several activities were carried out with emphasis on psychosocial support to child victims of sexual abuse and their families, lectures, round tables and protests condemning violence against children.
In the first year of the programme's implementation, the director said, there was an increase in the culture of reporting cases of sexual abuse against children, greater coverage of cases and awarweness among children, especially those who attend schools and churches.
Kalessei added that for 2022/2023, it is intended the revision of the campaign's strategic plan, elaboration of social awareness plan, resources mobilization and proposal for the approval of the National Plan for the Prevention and Combat of Sexual Abuse against Children.
The minister of Social Action, Family and Promotion of Women, Faustina Alves, on her turn said the campaign was based on a strategic plan carried out with intensity and objectivity in all provinces of the country, with the involvement of over 2.7 million people.
"We need to continue working in order to overcome the obstacles, such as the slowness in the treatment of cases at all levels, and in the scope of the municipalization of Social Action," the minister explained.
Launched in 2021, the national campaign on violence against children involved ministerial departments, provincial governments, municipal administrations, churches, NGOs, military and paramilitary units, United Nations and the Civil Society.
