MILLIONS of children are in danger of being orphaned or infected by the HIV/AIDS, abused by adults, sexually exploited and made vulnerable through natural disasters and situations of conflicts.

Abuses of human rights of girl children, especially sexual violence and other sexual-related abuses have become a pervasive problem especially in Zambia today.

There has been alarming and apparent increase in the number of girl child sexual abuses, highlighting the vulnerability of the girl child.

Even in the absence of a comprehensive research, it is very apparent as cases are reported in both print and electronic media almost daily and one wonders how many others have not been reported because an adult family member has decided it will embarrass the family or for whatever reason.

Others have no way of accessing the necessary support services especially if they are in a remote place. There are many factors that have led to the increase of such cases of sexual abuse of girl children.

The most abuse including, among other things, patriarchal attitudes, initiation ceremonies, the practice of dry sex, the custom of early marriages and the dangerous factor of men targeting young girls for sex because of the mythical hope of getting cured of the HIV/AIDS or avoiding HIV infection by having sex with a minor.

But just whose philosophy says that sleeping with minors can cure HIV/AIDS? These are questions which have remained unanswered for some time now.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a standard setting document in the area of human rights, recognises that children must be the subject of special care and attention.

But the declaration is limited to physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in homes, dowry-related violence, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices.

Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) Zambia is concerned at the incidences of gender-based violence, particularly rape and defilement affecting young girls and female infants as victims have been on the increase.

WILDAF country co-ordinator, Christine Munalula, said this had been a source of grave concern particularly in light of the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infectious (STI)/diseases/HIV infections in Zaambia.

According to Zambia's National AIDS Council strategy paper, approximately 1.75 million girl children are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

The peak ages for HIV infection among females are 25 to 34 years compared to that of males which is between 35 to 39 years while young women aged 15 to 19 years are five times more likely to be infected compared to their male counterparts.

It is also estimated that 25 per cent of pregnant women are HIV positive and that approximately 40 per cent of babies born to HIV positive mothers are infected with the HIV virus.

Ms Munalula said the overview of the national AIDS policy showed that successful convictions of sexual abuse offenders was still lacking, rehabilitation services for traumatised children who had suffered sexual violence were administered on an ad-hoc basis.

She said there were no synergies among Government bodies and that there was need to establish linkages between sexual violence/abuse and STI and tuberculosis policy.

She called for a raise in public awareness of the dangers of contracting HIV/AIDS and its detrimental impacts on society and in this context mobilise public opinion against harmful cultural and traditional norms and practices that make women and girls exceptionally vulnerable to sexual violence .

She said there was need to promote a vigorous sensitisation programme to educate the general public to discard certain elements of customary legislation such as the 'cleansing ritual' for widowed women, initiation ceremonies, as such elements constitute a mechanism for transmission of HIV/AIDS.

The Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Committee (NGOCC) has added its voice to the recent increased cases of defilement in Zambia and that it has noted with dismay and sadness at the way the act is being perpetrated.

NGOCC chairperson Lucy Muyoyeta said children especially girls had no safe haven as homes, schools; while police stations had become unsafe areas for a child.

Ms Muyoyeta said this was an unacceptable situation that should not be allowed to continue and called for the protection of children and that they should be provided with an environment that ensured that they properly grew up into responsible citizens.

She challenged the Government to ensure protection of the girl child and urgent preventive measures to be put in place.

She said the process of enacting the gender-based violence Bill should also be expedited to ensure that sexual offences against women and children were effectively addressed through the provision of stiffer punishment for sexual offenders, quick disposal of sexual cases and gender and child-friendly courts, among others.

She said there was need to strengthen the Victim Support Unit to effectively deal with all sexual offences and that all culprits should be brought to book to reduce the vice.

"May we also call upon all the citizenry of this country to take up this matter with the urgency it deserves. Let us all rise up to the challenge and condemn this vice. Let all those perpetrators of this cruel act be shamed in always, "she said.

And the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in its National Plan of action (NPA) notes that the welfare and rights of children has been a central concern of the United Nations since its creation in 1945.

HRC vice-chairperson Pixie Yangailo is of the view that the development is unfortunate despite the importance attached to children's rights by the international community and the Zambian Government the situation of children in Zambia is far from being satisfactory.

Mrs Yangailo says studies have shown that the issues that affect the Zambian child today are numerous, and include child trafficking, child labour, child soldiers, child survival, disaster relief and recovery, education for all and HIV/AIDS.

She said the economic situation prevailing in Zambia had negatively affected households and thus reduced the resources available for the physical, intellectual and emotional care of children.

She said children had no vote and access to the powerful lobbies that influence Government and, therefore, their views rarely, if ever, inform the actions of the central Government.

The HRC was attempting to address the plight of the Zambian child and called for the need to fight for the rights of children and their protection.

After all is said and done, the media can help alleviate the suffering of children and assist them become aware of what is happening in their communities and their world.

This can only be done by providing children and marginalised communities in SADC countries with a platform to speak out. The media would also promote and strengthen participatory democracy.

But this can only be achieved through adequate training for the media if they are to report with understanding child-related issues and also to serve those millions of children who are in danger of being orphaned or infected by HIV/AIDS through vices like sexual abuse.