The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) sets high standards for children’s protection and well-being in the family, school, society and institutions – standards that religious leaders and groups are particularly well-placed to communicate and hold society accountable to. With moral standing and broad platforms, religious leaders and communities have the power and reach to help people across the entire spectrum of society to understand that violence against children is a human rights violation. Religious communities can promote awareness raising and education in order to enable children and adults to become more conversant with the concepts of children’s rights.This does not mean that religious actors have to become child rights experts; they bring their own resources to the broader work of child protection. By increasing their awareness and knowledge of child rights and protection issues, religious leaders strengthen the roles they play in their communities by furthering the ideals of dignity and human worth inherent in religious traditions

Aside from the potential benefits that religious actors bring to partnerships, spirituality and religion can have a profound influence on children’s development and socialization and have the potential to reinforce protective influences and promote resilience. The beliefs, practices, social networks and resources of religious groups can instill hope, give meaning to difficult experiences and provide emotional, physical and spiritual support. Impact can be far-reaching when child rights efforts are ground-ed in the protective aspects of religious beliefs and practices in a community.

Faith communities have broad access to children and various opportunities to train them. Sunday/Sabbath school platforms and madrasas are some of the places where children congregate and are exposed to spiritual formation. These communities, which are entrusted with taking care of children need to be aware of the fundamentals of child protection.

It is also imperative that children themselves are aware of some basic elements of child protection. In our bid to facilitate a united commitment of Faith Communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the Malawi Interfaith AIDS Association (MIAA) recognizes that we can not succeed in the battle against HIV and AIDS without paying attention to the multi-faceted challenges facing children. Children need to be protected and cared for in a manner that safeguards their lives from HIV infection and all forms of violence that confront them on a day to day basis. It is our conviction that this Child Protection Manual for the faith communities is an idea whose time has come and that it will open an avenue for bolder
participation by the faith community in combating violence against children in Malawi.