Uhuru approves new regulations to protect children

President Kenyatta Wednesday signed a new legal notice establishing the Child Welfare Society of Kenya as a government agency.

The  Society has a statutory responsibility to provide services to all young persons across all sectors especially the marginalised and vulnerable children such as orphans, young women and minors.

President Kenyatta signed the legal notice at his Harambee House office where he met with the Cabinet Secretary for Labour Kazungu Kambi and officials of the Society.
The purpose of the new law is to provide a legal framework within which the Society will function and operate.

Issues discussed by the President and officials of the Society included the protection of all children across the 47 counties where the society will execute its mandate.

As a state agency, the Society will tackle such other concerns as child trafficking,  adoption matters including those sought by foreigners and rapid response to children in duress.

ADVOCACY ISSUES

The society will also provide rescue centres and foster care  for separated and street children and address such other issues as child labour.

It will also undertake advocacy on matters concerning youths and children including HIV and Aids.

The new legal framework will restore the functions, responsibilities, mandate and powers of the previous Society which were left out following the repeal of the Prevention of Cruelty To and Neglect of Children Ordinance and the Children and Young Persons Act.

The new Society will operate as a semi-autonomous government agency with budgetary allocation from Treasury.

The current budget allocation for the society for the year 2013/2014 is Sh261 million for recurrent expenditure and another Sh300 million for capital expenditure.