Child Protection Week observed in Amanzimtoti
Caregivers and learners at the Durban School for the Hearing Impaired were educated on child safety and children's rights, among other things, during an awareness talk at the school.
THE KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society recently observed National Child Protection Week at Amanzimtoti’s Durban School for the Hearing Impaired.
Also read: Child Protection Week: Organisation to march for harsher sentences against rapists
This year’s National Child Protection Week was commemorated from May 29 to June 5. In a statement, the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society said the event in Amanzimtoti was insightful because a lot was learned.
“The week is observed annually in this country to promote awareness of children’s rights as outlined in the Constitution and Children’s Act (Act No. 38 of 2005). The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Social Development, in collaboration with various government departments and civil society organisations, aims to advocate for child protection services,” it said.
The Chatsworth Child Welfare presented an item on children’s rights and responsibilities, which was well received.
“The government urges all South Africans to rally behind Child Protection Week every year to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our society are shielded from abuse. It is our collective responsibility to break the cycle of neglect, abuse, violence and exploitation endured by children. Safeguarding them from harm, exploitation and abuse is a fundamental principle and a duty outlined in Article 28 of the South African Constitution,” it said.
As the week concluded, the Department of Social Development minister, Lindiwe Zulu, said that parents want their children to take education seriously and desire that their children remain in school to improve their chances of building a brighter future for themselves and their country. The minister bemoaned the high levels of violence against children.
“One of the major concerns for me is the unacceptably high levels of violence against children in our country. We have all heard of the tragic story of six-year-old Joslin Smith who went missing from Saldanha Bay on February 19 and who, to this day, has not been found. Hers is a sad story of many children in our country whose rights are violated and who are robbed of their childhood,” said Zulu.
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