6. 80. 1. This is an advanced diploma (Level 6) on child protection and safeguarding aimed at attracting and giving professional support to practitioners working in communities, civil society, church and government organisations and institutions. The programme is meant to contribute to making society safer to children and vulnerable adults.

       2. These regulations should be read in conjunction with the Arrupe Jesuit University General Academic Regulations for the Undergraduate Degrees hereinafter referred to as General Regulations.

   81. Historical Background

This programme grew out of requests to AJU from a number of stakeholders who felt the need for AJU to contribute to the training of church and civil society organisations on child safeguarding. Following the publicised global child abuse cases in the church, the Catholic Church responded by suggesting a number of reforms, development of child protection policies and trainings for all its personnel in various institutions and organisations. The Vatican required all Catholic institutions and organisations to develop child-protection policies and implement them. Many governments also woke up to the need for child and vulnerable adults’ protection in religious, civil society and government institutions. In Zimbabwe, the Education Commission of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference produced the Child Protection Policy and required religious congregations and organizations to implement them. The Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS) also came together and recognised the need for the training of its formators and members. At the same time, AJU was developing its own policy, structures and training. At the very onset of planning for this programme, AJU organized a brainstorming session with a number of stakeholders from the Church through the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s Conference (ZCBC), representatives from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, representatives from other institutions of learnings, representatives from the Jesuit Education office and experts in child rights in order to see whether there was an actual need for such a programme, and what some of the courses or areas that could be covered would be. Stakeholders agreed on the need to introduce this diploma programme.