DODOMA: CIVIL Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on Members of Parliament to ensure strict enforcement of regulations requiring councils to allocate three per cent of their own-source revenues to child protection and safety initiatives.
The appeal was made yesterday during a seminar for MPs from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Local Authorities Accounts Committee (LAAC) and the Parliamentary Committee on Community Development and Social Welfare.
The session, organised by World Vision Tanzania, focused on strengthening child protection systems.
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, Ombeni Kimaro underscored the importance of integrating child protection into both national and local government budgets to improve service delivery.
He said allocating the funds as stipulated would help mainstream child-safeguarding measures into national development plans and enable ministries and councils to invest directly in programmes aimed at protecting children from harm
“We want to see child protection treated as a national priority. Councils must set aside dedicated funding to support efforts against gender-based violence and ensure children grow up in safe environments,” Mr Kimaro said.
He added that declining external donor support should push the government to strengthen domestic investment in child welfare, warning that failure to do so could worsen challenges related to children’s upbringing, behaviour and safety.
“If we fail to allocate these funds, we risk raising a generation without proper values or protection. Protecting children is a direct investment in the nation’s future,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the MPs, PAC Chairperson, Devotha Minja said the committee is committed to raising the matter in Parliament to ensure the recommendation is implemented and resources allocated accordingly.
She noted that MPs had embraced the agenda and would follow it through to ensure child protection receives priority in the government budget.
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LAAC representative, Josephine Kapone echoed the commitment, saying the committee would work closely with other parliamentary bodies to strengthen oversight and implementation.
Meanwhile, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Community Development and Social Welfare, Kafiti Kafiti, reaffirmed that the committee, being directly responsible for child welfare, would closely monitor implementation of the recommendations.
A researcher and analyst from HakiElimu, Joshua Mwakalikamo, said studies consistently demonstrate the importance of investing in child protection, stressing the need for the recommendations to be implemented for the benefit of society.
He noted that 85 per cent of interventions aimed at combating violence against children are funded by external donors, a situation he described as unsustainable.
World Vision Tanzania’s Director of Planning and Quality Assurance, Simon Mdikan expressed gratitude to MPs for attending the seminar and urged them to champion the issue in Parliament to ensure the budgetary provision is approved and implemented.
He explained that the country’s future depends heavily on how well it protects its children today.
“If child protection is not prioritised, the country risks jeopardising its future. Protecting children today means safeguarding the nation’s tomorrow,” he said.