Lilongwe — Children'S rights watchdog, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has asked the government, as a signatory of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, to take tougher measures to protect children from abuse, exploitation and neglect, factors that are leading to escalation of HIV/AIDS.

A press statement from Unicef says the organisation has noted with concern the growing number of child being abused, including being raped, which can transmit HIV/AIDS.

Kwakwarhi Mwanamai, assistant communications officer for UNICEF said in the press release that it is very shocking to note that children have turned to be sole victims of abuse that is occurring in the household whilst in other cases children are being abused alongside their mothers. "Last year alone, there has been a record 2,238 cases of all sorts of abuse and exploitation of children in the districts of Lilongwe, Mangochi, Dowa, Chiradzulu, and Mwanza. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that as adults, we have failed to offer a safe haven for our children by failing to live up to our responsibilities of ensuring the harmonious development of children. We are also failing to ensure a reproductive future for our beautiful Malawi," states the release.

The release explains that Malawi must strive to be guided by principals of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, saying the convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations. "These basic standards, commonly called human rights, set minimum entitlements and freedoms that should be respected by governments. They are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each individual, regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, birth status or ability. They therefore apply to every child.

With these rights comes the obligation on both governments and individuals not to infringe on the parallel rights of others," reads the statement.

UNICEF has therefore called on all decision makers to ensure that the laws of the country are fully aligned with the Convention of the Rights of the Child to which Malawi is a party, and to accelerate the establishment measures to enforce these laws so as to allow Malawi children to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment.

Recently, a man in Blantyre was sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour for raping and impregnating his own daughter while another man is in custody for defiling his own four months old daughter.