Catholic Bishops in Eastern Africa Commit to Creating “safe, nurturing church environment” for Minors

Nairobi, 05 July, 2024 / 10:58 AM

Members of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) have expressed their commitment to realizing an environment that ensures the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults in their respective Episcopal Sees.

In a statement following their July 1-4 consultative meeting on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, AMECEA members say they are “deeply saddened by the pain caused by abuse” and add that they are “committed to preventing it in all forms.”

“We strive to create a safe and nurturing church environment where faith can flourish, aspirations are nurtured, and potential is achieved,” the Catholic Bishops say in the statement that AMECEA Chairman, Bishop Charles Kasonde, read out to journalists on Thursday, July 1 at Roussel House of Donum Dei Missionary Sisters in Karen, Nairobi.

Credit: AMECEA

They urge all community members to join in this “crucial mission to ensure a future where children and vulnerable adults are safe, cherished, and nurtured.”

The representatives of the Catholic Bishops drawn from AMECEA member countries, which include Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, and Zambia, as well as from affiliate member nations of Somalia and Djibouti say that their goal is that all people find the church as “a safe haven”.

They underline their “unwavering commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults. Acknowledging both current and past instances of abuse, the Church in the region steps up her commitment to prevent, detect, and respond to all forms of abuse.”

Credit: AMECEA

“Our goal is to ensure that every child and vulnerable adult finds in the church a safe haven where they feel protected, heard, and secure,” the Catholic Church leaders emphasize.

AMECEA members also express their commitment to ensuring that safeguarding policies in the region are “regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practices on safeguarding and aligned to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors Universal Guidelines Framework.”

“We work closely with experts in child welfare and abuse prevention to ensure our policies are effective and comprehensive,” they add, and continue, “The Church is committed to transparency and accountability in all matters related to child safeguarding in line with the legal framework.”

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Aware of existing knowledge and skill gaps necessary for maintaining a protective environment, AMECEA members say, “The Church will strive to continually enhance the capacity of its pastoral agents, staff, and affiliates at all levels, including national conferences and dioceses.”

“The aim is to better uphold the principles of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults,” they say, and recognizing the important place of the Small Christian Community (SCC) add that through SCCs, the Church will work “to strengthen the capacity of families and children and enhance values and morals to ensure everyone's safety.”

Credit: AMECEA

Reflecting on survivors of abuses, AMECEA members recognize the “severe, long-lasting impact of abuse on victims and survivors”, and add, “The Church is committed to the Memorare Initiative, which offers care and support through counselling, spiritual guidance, and rescue services.”

In their July 4 statement, the Catholic Bishops express their commitment to “listening to survivors, validating their experiences, and ensuring they receive justice and healing.

“Our responses aim to provide therapy and aid in the healing process for survivors of abuse,” they further say, and also express their commitment to familiarizing themselves with “church and civil documents on safeguarding and engage with our communities to promote awareness and education on child safeguarding.”

Credit: AMECEA 

“This includes workshops, seminars, and informational campaigns designed to foster a culture of vigilance and care,” AMECEA members say in their collective statement.

They urge the people of God in the AMECEA region “to continually reflect on how we can better care for children given to parents in light of our daily realities.”

Credit: AMECEA

“We are truly thankful to parents, guardians, caregivers, teachers, pastoral agents, and all who are involved in nurturing the holistic growth of our children. This is a divine duty that we must all commit to wholeheartedly,” the members of AMECEA say in their July 4 statement.