Not enough done to protect SA children, says Afrika Tikkun’s Marc Lubner

Afrika Tikkun believes not enough is being done to protect the well-being of children, despite South Africa having an improved legal framework to protect their rights.

The non-profit company runs several children and youth upliftment projects in Alexandra and other vulnerable communities.

As the country observes Child Protection Week, Afrika Tikkun group CEO Marc Lubner said, “If we fail to raise our children in a safe, productive environment, there is no point in planning for the future because it will perish with a generation we failed to protect.

“Child Protection Week should not just be about raising awareness about child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It should be about organised action against these evils and creating holistic solutions that unite people towards the common goal of improving the lives of children to grow them into adults that can lead SA to a brighter future.”

Even though corporal punishment was outlawed in schools in 1997, it is routinely applied as a form of punishment. According to a recent study by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), corporal punishment of learners by teachers was the most prevalent type of violence that children encountered.

In SA, 392 children were killed in just 90 days in 2021, while another 394 were victims of attempted murder, according to the most recent crime data [2023 stats]. That same year [2021], 2 048 additional children were physically assaulted, and those were just the reported cases.

Lubner said there was a need to create communities that were supportive of children and the promotion of their rights, including policing, awareness and public education about children’s rights and organisations that supported the development of children as a priority.

“It is crucial to promote policies and practices that support the welfare of children, including education, healthcare, and access to social services. Support caregivers, including parents, guardians, and foster carers, must receive adequate support to ensure they can provide a safe and nurturing environment for children. We encourage an approach to child development that accounts for the social and economic elements that affect students’ learning.”

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