The Director of the Pontifical Mission Society for the Holy Childhood Fr. Santo Gaba is encouraging the South Sudanese to respect the dignity of children. Fr. Santo urges the public to report all suspected child abuse cases in societies and promote child rights.
In his statement on the African Child Day commemoration, Father Santo Gaba says it’s important for the people of South Sudan to commit themselves to safeguarding Children in their respective places.
Fr. Gaba adds the Catholic Church and the people of South Sudan should ensure that Children’s “dignity and their Rights” to dignified life and bodily Integrity should be respected, nurtured, and safeguarded.
“The Church must see that children are safe, because the children are the future of the Church,” Fr. Santo Gaba said, adding that, the importance of Children is of paramount importance for the growth of the Church.
The Catholic Priest urged the public to be open to acquiring a deeper understanding of the harm caused to Children in society.
He regrets numerous challenges faced by children in Society especially in South Sudan like child recruitment and early child marriage among others. “He said, there’s a need to involve Children in all activities and advocate for best practice in society that prevents Child Rights abuse.
Fr. Gaba stressed that his office of the Pontifical Mission Society for the Holy Childhood is working hard to promote awareness and advocacy for Child safeguarding to see that looming issues of child abuse stop.
“Above all in our animation for the Missionary Holy Childhood, we always continue to create awareness and create the environment of prayer, the environment of spirituality so that the children may grow spiritually as they also grow mentally and educationally.”
He states that his office will plan to include the African Child Day in their Calendar so that the Church can celebrate together with the world.
“We are slowly trying to set this office of pontifical mission society for the Holy Childhood and hoping slowly we shall be at the position of Celebrating African Child Day. So we shall think of that in the future time.
As we celebrate African Child Day today, we should know that every human being is born free and equal in dignity and Rights, he added, urging the people of South Sudan to uphold Christ’s teaching in the Society.
The Catholic Priest made his statement in an interview with Catholic Radio Network during the African Child Day in office at Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference.