Johannesburg, 10 July, 2022 / 8:33 pm (ACI Africa).
Children are bearing the brunt of forced displacement from the oil rich Mozambican Province of Cabo Delgado, an official of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DHPI) has said.
In an interview with ACI Africa, the Director of the peace entity of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) said that given the vulnerability of internally displaced children in Cabo Delgado, “cases of displaced children who are victims of sexual abuse and early marriages is increasing dramatically.”
“Children are the ones who are most affected. More than 50,000 people have been displaced and 35,000 of them are children below the age of 18 who have no parents, who are unaccompanied, who are not receiving any form of support,” Johan Viljoen said during the Wednesday, July 6 interview.
Mr. Viljoen added, “Now it’s emerging that these children are being used for sexual purposes by men who should protect them. They are forced to have sex with adult men; they are being used for child prostitution.”
The Director of DHPI further said, “These children have been living dark days; they do not sleep and have been running for safety. They don’t have access to school, and medical care; many of them need psychological help.”
