Ambassadors become the voice for children rights
Save the Children South Africa hosted child rights ambassadors, Boitshepo Montjane, Mahlatse Mailula and Mashadi Madiga to speak about human rights, aligned with the national theme of celebrating human rights through indigenous languages.
POLOKWANE – “Nothing about us, is for us, without us,” these are the words of child rights activists as they rounded off Human Rights month.
Save the Children South Africa hosted child rights ambassadors, Boitshepo Montjane, Mahlatse Mailula and Mashadi Madiga to speak about human rights, aligned with the national theme of celebrating human rights through indigenous languages.
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Kanukani Mudau, Save the Children’s child rights Governance Project Officer Limpopo explained they as a Child’s Rights organisation, regard Human Rights month as very important as it’s aligned with their work as an organisation.
“We feel it’s our responsibility to mobilise our communities to commemorate, celebrate and pay tribute to the acknowledgment of human rights in the country. We feel it’s important to consider and mobilise children, to understand, appreciate and express themselves around issues that affect their human rights. It is important that we are able to communicate in different languages without being prejudiced. We can then use our languages across social media platforms, and feel comfortable to use it in different spheres of life,” he said.
Child rights ambassadors have played an active role in creating awareness, on children’s rights in their communities. They believe children need to be given a voice, to address issues that affect them. They strive for social change and believe children are the key to changing issues that affect them directly.
Montjane said she feels the government is trying, but not hard enough as not every child is reached. “I feel like there are still gaps that need to be filled. The government do not see us. When last did the president speak about us, we are not mentioned. It’s like we don’t exist,” she said.
Mailula agreed with Montjane and added he feels the government is centered around generating revenue and making money, instead of focusing on children’s issues. “Their number one priority should be children, because they are the future. The government doesn’t want to implement programmes which don’t generate revenue for them. They see children as immature and naive, with no knowledge of politics, which is contrary to that,” he said.
Madiga said she finds it difficult to address people in her mother tongue. She feels like people are moving away from their roots, emphasising the need for balance between English and indigenous languages.
“This does not mean we need to stop speaking all together, but I feel like we are becoming a generation that do not know it’s true identity,” she said.
Mailula said people need to honour their native languages and have them included.
“We should honour indigenous language and feel proud. When I speak it, I should not be questioned or feel ashamed. The problem with South Africa is that we are not cohere. There’s no cohesion between Xitsonga, Sepedi and Tshivenda speaking people and we resort to English, as a means of communication to accommodate everyone. If only we could come together we would be able to learn each other’s languages.”
