The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has taken over the welfare of the 13 survivors of abduction following the completion of their medical examinations.
Minister of Community Development and Social Services Doreen Mwamba, said the ministry through the department of social welfare has provided a Place of Safety as mandated in the provisions of the Anti-Gender Based Violence Act No.1 of 2011 and Anti- Human Trafficking Act No. 11 of 2008.
Ms Mwamba noted that the young ladies are currently in good spirit after undergoing medical checkups to ascertain their health statuses and establish the extent of their sexual exploitation and abuse.
She, however, stated that the traumatic experience of the abductions caused huge psychological effects on the mental health of the survivors adding that there is need to subject the young ladies to a trauma and psychosocial therapy in a Place of Safety as part of the healing process.
“The Case Management processes which will be carried out by the social workers from the Ministry alongside other professional psychologists from Chainama Hospital, will focus on psychological wellness and general welfare on case-by-case basis,” she explained.
In a press statement issued to the media today, Ms Mwamba said the families of the survivors have been informed of the planned interventions by government and has requested the families to give government more time to take care of the survivors before they are eventually reintegrated into their families.
“Those who travelled from other towns outside Lusaka to see their daughters will be provided with support by the Ministry through the Lusaka District Social Welfare Office until the survivors are discharged from the Place of Safety. The families will also undergo counselling to ensure that they are in good state of mind to provide care and support to their daughters,” she added.
Ms Mwamba disclosed that the ministry is working closely with the gender division as well as Non-Governmental Organisations to ensure that all supplies are provided to the survivors in order to safeguard their stay in the Place of Safety.
She noted that criminal investigations by Zambia Police have continued to ensure the culprits are brought to book.
Ms Mwamba also appealed to the media and the general public to desist from uploading publications about the identity or personal information of the survivors to avoid further victimization and traumatization of the young ladies.
Useless government…
Bravo to the Government for taking care of these young women and providing them a place of safety. They need alot of continued support as this is a traumatic occurrence they are going to live with for rest of their lives. Thumbs up to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.
KBF, this is the Government you helped to come into power. Great, you realize, this is not Zambia we wanted.
If Kajoba is not fired then the minister of Home affairs should resign on moral grounds.
This case needs professional investigators from some points I picked from IG’s statement …everyone needs to be investigated including the girls.
Bravo to the HH govt that is working like well a oiled piston engine.Thanks for taking care of these abducted girls.
It’s clear that the government wants to control access to the girls for fear of them delving into their ugly ordeal to avoid implicating those who funded their abduction. Release the girls to their families. Keeping them together will remind them of the painful experience they went through.
Exactly. This is the first time I am hearing (and I have lived for a long time) that government must take over the custody of freed individuals. At most, only when it’s established that the victim is traumatized will they be referred to hospital. After six months of absence the best thing is to reunite with the family.
Nothing hides under the sun.
Cant put all blame on police as most of these
Girls knew the abductors.So we need to sensitise our girls to be extra careful even
With people they know.
What does this mean? Can govt take the girls away from their families without their consent?
Why can’t they receive medical attention while staying with their parents?
This doesn’t seem right.
Please stop calling them GIRLS. They are WOMEN unless under the age of 18 years.
Please Govt is trying to help. Those girls need to go through medical and counselling before they handle them to their families. The Govt is doing the right thing. Anyway in this world no matter what good you do, people will still find something to complain. Veepi!!!
That is ver good decision. Looking for good life and wealth must have driven those girls into hands of criminals and lover boys. With good education and public posters and bill boards can help many more girls not to fall victims into such hands of such criminals. This method has worked in Ghana. Lover boys had the habit of using ignorant girls after giving them presents. Pretending to fall in love with and later use them to carry drugs in their bags. Without them knowing what they carrying. Many such girls even faced death sentences in some countries.
Without CDF on the Copperbelt UPND talepita. How can PF dribble the ruling party like this?