Dedza, 03 December, 2021 / 8:52 pm (ACI Africa).
The Catholic Bishop of Malawi’s Dedza Diocese has called upon the members of parliament in the country to debate and enact older persons bill into law in order to protect the rights of the elderly from violation and abuse.
In a Tuesday, November 30 report, Bishop Peter Chifukwa said that if the bill is enacted into law, it will protect the elderly from Witchcraft-based Violence (WBV) and other attacks targeting older people in the Southern African nation.
“By engaging the legislators, the church foresees that the National Assembly will expedite the process of debating and enacting the proposed bill into law to prevent further abuses against the elderly people,” Bishop Chifukwa says in the report.
He adds, “Engaging parliamentarians on deplorable human rights situation of older persons has a potential to change policy, practice and shape actions in the spheres such as social protection, access to justice, security, health, education and their independent living,”
The Local Ordinary of Dedza Diocese spoke about the church’s continued role in sensitizing its faithful about their spiritual duty of protecting weaker groups.