The acting Minister of Social Development (MOSD), Mr. Keketso Sello says the re-launching of a Child Helpline Lesotho is one of the measures that the ministry place to protect children against any form of child abuse.
This, Mr. Sello said when officiating the re-launch of the Child Helpline Lesotho and handing over of a Call Tracking System by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) held in Maseru on Wednesday.
On behalf of the government of Lesotho, Mr. Sello expressed gratitude to UNICEF, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Baylor Hospital and other partners who assisted in reviving the child helpline.
He said the Child Helpline Lesotho was first established in 2008 as the initiation of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare which was funded by Global Fund and UNICEF.
He said currently the management of the Child Helpline Lesotho is under the Ministry of Social Development.
Moreover, the Minister noted that 1 891 emergency calls have been received through the use of the Child Toll-Free Helpline, saying for these reported cases, child negligence is the highest offence among other abuse cases.
He said according to the 2021 study, children are experiencing violence moreover and the child helpline has been an alternative to fight against child violence.
He further said the Child Helpline Lesotho is a 24-hour free call that provides emergency assistance in response to violence against children, adding that it provides counselling, referrals and linking children to services they need.
Mr. Sello said the Child Helpline is a safety net for children because there are agents to attend to their needs hence should be used, saying it will allow children to contact someone in an emergency where they are provided with an opportunity to raise their concerns and talk about the issues affecting them.
He said the Child Helpline is founded on the belief that children have rights and that they can express their concerns and issues affecting.
In conclusion, he urged everyone especially children to use the child helpline to report any form of abuse they experience at home, school and also at church.
Also speaking, the Deputy UNICEF Representative, Mr Kimanzi Mothengi congratulated the government of Lesotho through the Ministry of Social Development and other partners for the re-launch of the Child Helpline Lesotho, noting that it is rectifying to have the operational child helpline.
Mr. Mothengi said a child helpline is a crucial tool for protecting children from abusive environments and allowing children seeking support to access the help they need.
He said there are 33 countries using this system, and all their experiences have been that child helplines are playing a key role in the safe reporting of cases of child abuse leading to action being taken after.
He said they hope this service is going to be used excessively in this country to fight child violence.
On the other hand, Baylor Hospital, Executive Director, Mr. Seema Ntjabane said this initiative is critical and it will help go a long way in supporting the ministry to fight violence against children in the country.
He said it has been over a year since the child helpline has been operational and staff placed at the centre are doing a great job as they have been trained to deal with any trauma cases.
He stressed that they are indeed grateful they received from the developing partners they have worked with in ensuring that the child helpline became operational again.
The Child Helpline Lesotho operates 24-hours and it is a toll-free number that can be contacted by either the guardian, parent or children to report child violence cases.  The child helpline toll-free number is 116.
By Staff Reporter: Noliwe Velaphe