WHEN BASIC SERVICES REACH COMMUNITIES: MOZAMBIQUE STRENGTHENS CHILD PROTECTION AND WELL-BEING
For many families in rural and hard-to-reach areas of Mozambique, access to services remains limited. Taking services directly to communities, can be one of the solutions to reduce barriers related to distance and information, ensuring that more children and caregivers receive the support they need and avoiding that, children keep growing up without their rights.
In order to overcome the issue, Mozambique held the second edition of the Legal and Child Well-Being Fair, an initiative supported by World Vision Mozambique in partnership with the government and community structures.
“Seeing my son enjoy this enriched porridge makes me so happy. I didn’t know we could prepare such nutritious food with ingredients we already have at home,” shared Celina, her face filled with gratitude and surprise as she watched her son eat with enthusiasm.
Communities participated in interactive sessions on child protection, early marriage, gender-based violence, reporting mechanisms, nutrition, and livelihoods. These conversations provided caregivers with practical knowledge to safeguard children and prevent different forms of abuse within households and communities.
To address ongoing malnutrition challenges in the country, the fair featured demonstrations of enriched porridge preparation, using locally available foods. Children received nutritional supplementation, and caregivers learned improved feeding practices to support healthy growth.
These activities attracted significant community participation and created a welcoming learning environment for families.
The Provincial Prosecutor, Abel Janela, participated in the fair, highlighting the commitment of justice institutions to protecting children. Throughout the event, families accessed birth registration services, ensuring that more children can obtain a legal identity, an essential step for accessing education, health care and social protection.
During his remarks, Prosecutor Abel Janela called for collective responsibility, stating:
“We must all work together to combat every form of violence against children.”
His message reinforced the importance of multisectoral collaboration, combining justice, health, protection, education and community engagement, to ensure that children grow up in safe and supportive environments.
World Vision Mozambique remains committed to partnering with government institutions, community leaders and local structures to ensure that every child in the country is protected, valued and able to thrive.
The event brought together provincial justice authorities, district services, community leaders, and families for a day focused on strengthening children’s rights, protection mechanisms, and access to essential services.