All children have a right to protection
Child Protection Week is a reminder that many children are being exposed to and left vulnerable to abuse, crime and violence, and that they have a right to be loved and cared for in a safe and secure environment.
DURBAN Child and Youth Care Centre will commemorate National Child Protection Week from 28 May to 2 June.
The initiative was launched by the Department of Social Development to highlight and raise awareness of the rights of children living in South Africa in accordance with the Children’s Act of 2005.
“Child Protection Week is a reminder that many children in our country are being exposed to and left vulnerable to abuse, crime and violence on a daily basis.”
“It’s a reminder that our children have a right to be loved and cared for in a safe and secure environment.”
“The Durban Child and Youth Care Centre in Glenwood exists to promote a sense of both physical and emotional well-being , through a safe and therapeutic environment for children who are at risk because of neglect, abuse and orphanhood,” said Durban Child and Youth Care Director, Mandy Goble.
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Goble said in the last five years, The Durban Child and Youth Care Centre has attended to 170 cases related to neglect, abuse and abandonment.
“Protecting and fulfilling the needs of children is not the sole responsibility of the Durban Child and Youth Care Centre or even other non-profit organisations dedicated to child care, like ours. This role needs to be accepted by every parent, teacher and every member of our community and country,” said Goble.
The statistics of child protection violations cannot truly be measured, but evidence suggests that many children in South Africa are exposed to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect.
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The Optimus Study, a publication by the UBS Optimus Foundation, provides representative data in South Africa on child maltreatment and exposure to other forms of violence. This research bulletin addresses the lifetime prevalence of violence against children, as reported by 15 to 17 year old South Africans.
“Results of the Optimus Study in South Africa therefore makes it clear that, by the time they are 15 to 17 years old, many young South Africans have experienced sexual, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or have been exposed to high rates of violence. Girls bear the brunt of abuse, neglect and bullying, while boys are more likely than girls to experience other forms of violence,” said Goble.
She said that in order to create an “ideal protective” environment for all children action needs to be taken. Goble said this could be done by raising awareness on children’s rights, emphasising their right to be protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation, supporting and strengthening the organisations that are dedicated to providing child protection services and by not remaining silent.
Report all child abuse and violence to Childline’s 24-hour toll-free helpline on 0800 055 555 and the South African Police Service on 0860 010 111.
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