The South African children live in a country that has a constitution with the highest regard for their rights and the equality and dignity for everyone. However, sadly despite government and civil society efforts to protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, they remain vulnerable. They still get exposed to so much violence at home.
According to Busi Kheswa, Deputy Director: Media Liaison and Strategy for the Gauteng Department of Social Development, children are still faced with numerous challenges of being killed, bullied at school, or being kidnapped on the street mostly by people who are supposed to protect them.
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“Even though the country has excellent laws and a national action plan to prevent, and respond to, violence against children. This has not stopped the abuse of children. At reminds us that laws and policies on their own are not enough without enforcement, they are meaningless. This is where South Africa, like many other countries, falls short. Our country’s children are still exposed to horrific levels of violence and protecting them should be everyone’s business.
“It is with this reason that as we mark 2022 Child Protection Week (CPW), we should all remind ourselves that children are our treasure, let us all aspire to create a decent environment that is conducive for them to grow freely from any form of distress and violence.
Protecting our children is a responsibility for all of us to share. Children have the same human rights as adults included in those rights are those that recognize their special needs.
“Children are neither the property of their parents nor are they helpless objects of charity. They are human beings and have legal standing as articulated in the Children’s Act. The rising number of perpetual heinous crimes against children in the country is appalling. If the recent reports are anything to go by, they demonstrated it was gradually spiralling out of control, and it has to be stopped. There is no amount of justification for the barbaric acts and the violation of children’s rights.”
He said according to the Optimus National Prevalence Study, it is estimated that 42% of South Africa’s children have experienced some form of ill-treatment and 82% have either experienced or witness some form of victimisation.
“Regrettably, this shows that violence against children remains the greatest threat and a critical challenge for the country, despite tremendous efforts to curb this scourge. The latest crime statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) shows confirm the report from various studies that children are not safe in this country. The report indicates that 31.7% of children, were murdered in the last financial year. This astonishing increase in violent crimes against children is a call to action, as society we need to act with speed in defence of the lives of our children, who are faced with gruesome death each day.
“Over the years government adopted a 365 Child Protection programme as the week is not enough to address, highlight challenges and plight of our children. Ongoing campaigns continue to focus on making communities safer, tackling societal problems like drug and alcohol abuse which contribute to child abuse and violence. Protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse is not only a basic value but also an obligation set out in article 28 of the South African Constitution.
“Our children rely on us to look out for their wellbeing and protection. And during and beyond this time, it is imperative that we do all we can to keep them safe and prevent any form of abuse and neglect they faces every day.
As a government we are doing everything in our power to fight against all these violations of children’s rights including neglect, abuse and exploitation, however, it is important to note it is not only our fight, but that of society at large.
It for this reason, that we call on every citizen to be part of the collective efforts to look out for each other’s children. Like in the words of an old African proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child”.
“Let us be reminded by the words of Nelson Mandela, in his speech at the dedication of Qunu and Nkalane Schools in June 1995 when he said, ‘Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people’.
“Let us all move South Africa forward by protecting the rights of all children, including children with disabilities and chronic illnesses.”
