Government to Expand National Child Helpline 116 Across Kenya to Enhance Child Protection Services
By Jeff Kizzilah/Digital Editor
The Government has announced plans to expand the National Child Helpline 116 to regions across the country in a major step towards strengthening child protection systems and ensuring that children, families, and communities have easier access to reporting, response, and support services.
The expansion initiative, themed “Break the Silence,” seeks to increase public awareness of the Child Helpline 116, build community capacity to respond to child protection concerns, and encourage children and caregivers to speak out against abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence affecting children.
Speaking during a briefing on the initiative, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services, CPA Carren Agengo, emphasized the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders involved in child welfare.
“The Ministry must continue working closely with children’s officers, the National Police Service, faith-based organizations, county governments, and development partners to strengthen child protection systems.
We must also work together to promote awareness of the Child Helpline 116 and train parents to be more open and responsive to the needs of children,” said Agengo.
The PS noted that the Government’s primary goal is to ensure every child in Kenya has access to timely assistance whenever they face challenges or threats to their well-being.
“Our main objective is to expand awareness of the helpline so that the public knows where to seek help. We must keep our children safe, and our mission remains to serve and protect every child in Kenya,” she added.
The expansion of Child Helpline 116 will bring services closer to communities, enabling faster reporting and coordinated responses at the county level.
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services, CPA Carren Agengo/Photo
County governments and other stakeholders are already supporting awareness campaigns and operating structures that complement the national child protection framework.
The Government reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding children and called upon parents, teachers, religious leaders, community members, and children themselves to utilize the toll-free Helpline 116 whenever they require assistance or wish to report child protection concerns.
The nationwide rollout is expected to significantly strengthen child safeguarding mechanisms and improve access to essential support services for vulnerable children across Kenya.
