YONECO, a member of the Parenting in Africa Network (PAN) is hosting the first ever Malawi Chapter meeting from 2nd to 4th July, 2014 at Sun and Sand Holiday Resort in Mangochi district under the theme “Parenting and Education Attainment – Role of
parents in Education”. YONECO shall bring together over 50 participants representing local and international organisations in Malawi. Expected to officiate the event is the Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare, Dr. Mary Shawa.
While parenting becomes obvious when a child is born, it comes with anxiety, expectations and challenges. Skilful Parenting approaches are therefore key to various outcomes for children including those in the education sector and social development. The recent development of teen parents, not only in Malawi but in the continent at large, encounter inadequate social structures supporting the child parents. With this in mind, YONECO is mobilising the support for Skilful parenting in Malawi, and has also trained over 300 parenting facilitators on parenting for child protection, prevention of child marriages and sexual reproductive health in various districts with financial support from HIVOS, Plan Malawi and Dutch Government through SIMAVI. Having established several community-based parenting forums for the parents, YONECO is well aware that the existing parenting programme in Malawi, with rich information, experiences and needs, all need consolidation. These processes shall ensure that Parenting with skill is encouraged as a tool to respond the many social challenges that affect children and adolescents in efforts to build a safe and secure environment at community levels. By advocating for parenting as a critical tool for enhancing parent-child communication and promoting child and youth participation, YONECO is therefore spearheading the process of PAN in line with the objectives of the AU Plan of Action on the Family. The PAN Malawi Chapter shall be a vehicle for enhancing Malawi’s parenting agenda, to support its government.
About YONECO
Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO) is a local organisation with a vision of an HIV free society that respects democratic values and principles. YONECO is committed to empowering youth, women and children, combating the spread of HIV infection, mitigating the impact of AIDS, promoting human rights and democracy and conducting research for youth, women and child development. YONECO has its secretariat in Zomba and works to ensure that the rights of youth and children are given priority and enforced. YONECO has in the last 2 years intensified parenting issues and seeks to ensure that parenting is becoming the issue that would support dealing with the many challenges that the youth in Malawi face.
About PAN
Parenting in Africa Network (PAN) is a pan-African, network of member organizations with a focus on promoting skilful parenting in Africa. We are non-partisan, and seek to collaborate with organisations that support skilful parenting in Africa. Our mandate is drawn from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) to advocate for the rights of children by focusing on specific issues that affect African families. Vision: A society where Children are Parented and Empowered to reach their Full Potential. Mission: To facilitate and enable member organizations address policies and practices within their communities, through specific parenting issues that affect African families.
