Manuel Vilares from Angola wrote this blog after attending the RIATT-ESA sponsored children and youth conference at the 2017 PSS forum.
There are many issues I could tell you about, I would like to focus on 3 specific issues: domestic violence, school dropout and juvenile delinquency. Because these are problems that happen very often in Angola.
Domestic violence in Angola
The problem of domestic violence is increasingly worrying for the Angolan people. Because every day that passes the number of victims of domestic violence increases. This is a devastating problem happening all over the country, and more specifically in my community.
I will tell you a little bit about the realities from my community. I had a neighbor who beat his own daughter until she lost her sight. When his neighbors reacted to this situation he said that people should mind their own business, and not talk about it, because it was his daughter. When this situation was reported to the authorities, the man was arrested only for 1 day. It was not long after that he was repeating the same crimes. It is very sad for anyone to be a victim of these type of crimes and not to be protected. I would like the Angolan government to review how these crimes of domestic violence are prosecuted. As I believe a perpetrator of these crimes should get 1-4 years of prison for domestic violence.
The causes of domestic violence include:
- Drug abuse
- Toxic stress
- Lack of communication
- Mental Illnesses
- Negligence
The consequences of domestic violence are countless, including:
- Divorce
- Developmental delays
- Trauma
- Frustration
- Mental disorder
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is often the result of drug abuse and may also lead to higher rate of unemployment. The lack of family support only aggregates the situation. For example, in Angola there are many young people who have finished high school or higher education who are still are unemployed.
School dropout
school dropout and a very worrying problem for young Angolans, and often it’s because of lack of financial means. School dropout could also be because of a lack of psychological support and or neglect. I believe the government should invest in solutions for these problems. Supporting youth to access schools. In my community many young people have stopped studying for these same reasons. Schools in Angola are not affordable and often difficult to access.
School dropout is a problem that is very personal to me, as I am an orphan living with my uncles, and due to a lack of financial support, I was unable to finish my studies. This was difficult to me because I wanted to further my education in clinical psychology. SOS children’s villages in Angola have been emotionally supporting me. I now have hope that God will guide me in my life and I will find a way to further my studies.