Give a voice to vulnerable children

The Minister of Social Development, Minister Edna Molewa urged South Africans to promote children’s rights and child protection by wearing a green ribbon during Child Protection Week.

By wearing the ribbon you give a voice to vulnerable, abused and exploited children who may not be able to speak for themselves, said Molewa. Child Protection Week (CPW) is an annual national event to promote awareness of child abuse issues and how to prevent it. According to Childline South Africa, CPW is “a campaign that was initiated to raise awareness, as well as to mobilise all sectors and communities towards understanding the perspective of holistic development regarding the care and protection of children”.

This year CPW runs from 29 May until 5 June.

Crimes against women and children are also one of the South African Police’s national priorities.

The 2016 CPW will be commemorated under the theme “Let us all protect children to move South Africa forward”. This is a five-year theme that was approved by the National Child Care and Protection Forum in August 2015.

Honeydew Police spokesperson warrant officer Karen Jacobs said, “We request the community to wear a green ribbon during Child Protection Week. The green ribbon means you are a child protector.”

Children have the right to:

• I have the right to be taken seriously and the responsibility to listen to others.

• I have the right to privacy and the responsibility to respect other’s privacy.

• I have the right to quality medical care and the responsibility to take care of myself.

• I have the right to a good education and the responsibility to study and respect my teachers

• I have the right to be loved and protected from harm and the responsibility to show others love and care.

• I have the right to own belongings and the responsibility to respect the belongings of others

• I have the right to special care for special needs and the responsibility to be the best person I can be

• I have the right to a say in my care and any changes to how I am cared for and must take responsibility for my own actions.

• I have the right to make mistakes and the responsibility to learn from my mistakes.

• I have the right to be well fed and the responsibility not to waste food.

• I have the right to a safe and comfortable home and the responsibility to keep it neat and clean

• I have the right to be proud of my heritage and beliefs and the responsibility to respect other’s origins and beliefs

• I have a right to be told the house rules where I live and the responsibility to keep to them.

• I have a right to a lawyer in courtrooms and hearings affecting my future and the responsibility to be truthful.

Important Phone Numbers:

Childline:080 005 5555

Teddy Bear Clinic, Johannesburg:011 484 4554

Teddy Bear Clinic, Krugersdorp: 011 660 3077

Family Child and Sexual Offence Unit: 011 951 1915