The 11th International Consultation of Child Helplines conference has closed in Livingstone with collective solidarity to create a better future for children across the globe.

Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Ms Doreen Mwamba when she officially closed the meeting, expressed satisfaction that the conference has been a powerful testament to the strength of global solidarity, the richness of shared experience, and the unshakable belief that every child, no matter where they are, deserves to be heard, protected, and nurtured.

She acknowledged the significant strides made in strengthening child helplines, advancing legal and policy frameworks, and building inclusive systems that provide children not just with a voice, but with a path to safety, justice, and healing.

The Minister reaffirmed the need to scale up and sustain child helplines as life-saving services, especially in the face of abuse, neglect, violence, and emergencies.

“We must enhance response capacity, referral pathways, and integration with various frameworks to ensure children receive timely and effective support”, she said.

As children increasingly navigate digital spaces, the Minister further acknowledge the growing risks of cyberbullying, online abuse, exploitation, and digital addiction, which she said calls for decisive action to improve digital literacy, implement stronger safeguards, and engage ICT regulators and tech companies to create safer online environments.

Ms. Mwamba further called for the integration of mental health and psychosocial services into national child protection systems, backed by greater investment in trained, empathetic responders, while meaningfully involving children and adolescents in designing, shaping, and continuously improving helpline services.
Child Helpline International
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