In commemoration of Child Protection Week, safety challenges in South Africa have become a concern and certainly something that needs to be reflected on and addressed.
On Sunday, 19 May 2024, the Department of Social Development (DSD) launched Child Protection Month to raise awareness on children’s rights and what needs to be done to protect them. According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), one third of young girls experience some sort of violence before the age of 18 and more than half of the children in South Africa live under extreme poverty.
Reports indicate that South African children have been faced with a lot of violence. Statistics released by the South African Police Services reveal that 25,204 murders occurred in 2021/22 and 1 082 of those, were children, while a report by Statistics South Africa says that in 2022, approximately four percent of females aged 14 to 19 years in the country were going through different stages of pregnancy. Recently, three girls from Eqinisweni Secondary School committed suicide apparently due to unplanned pregnancies.
Speaking at the launch, Tshepo Manong, who is a recovering drug addict and has been sober for 7 years, shared his struggle with drug addiction. Manong said he started experimenting with drugs at the age of 12 and that most of his peers died from substance abuse. Manong urged those who have already started taking drugs to completely stop and work on improving their lives.
Community leader, Thabang Mmutle said emphasized the role of a community; to protect one another from the being victims of violence. Mmutle, who is responsible for the patrolling guards in Soshanguve, said that he believes that parents should work together with teachers and the Department of Health in educating children about not just teenage pregnancy but poverty and how they can escape it.
“We live in an environment where these learners are surrounded by negativity and cannot imagine living a better life, because they do not know that they are capable of changing their circumstances. Most children in our area are raised by uneducated parents and grandparents who do not understand the term protection beyond just providing a shelter and food for your child, and do not understand the danger of an unhealthy environment,” Mmutle said.
He said the lack of information and services is one of the reasons the community does not understand the importance of protecting children. He added that the level of disrespect from children also plays a huge role in why these days a child is no longer raised by the community.
Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu was the keynot speaker at the launch, and urged parents to take time to learn and understand their children and the things they go through. Referring to her childhood experience, Zulu who fell pregnant at the age of 15 said that although child protection is a societal responsibility, children are also responsible to identify when they are a danger to themselves or in a dangerous environment.
“You do not have to repeat my mistakes for you to be a better person tomorrow. I am sharing this with you because I am saying please do not go that route young girls and boys. Do not go around and engage in things that do not bring value in your lives. Today we are highlighting the importance of protecting children. We want the Child Protection Month to be used to educate our parents, grandparents, caregivers and communities about children,” Zulu said.
Zulu concluded that all organisations are important and play a role in making South Africa a better place. She encouraged the attendees to report abuse when they experience or witness it.
“I know that the issue of violence against women and children is actually one of the biggest problems we are facing in South Africa, but I have told myself to turn it around and fight it in every corner I find it, and that is what I am asking you to also do,” Zulu said.