Osizweni Combined School hosts Child Protection Week

Different government departments, including the police and non-profit organisations, visited Osizweni Combined School on Tuesday, June 1, as part of Child Protection Week.

National Child Protection Week (CPW) is observed in South Africa annually to raise awareness of the rights of children as articulated in the Children’s Act of 2005.

The campaign began in 1997 and aims to mobilise all sectors of society to ensure that children are cared for and protected.

While the initiative is led by the Minister of Social Development, every citizen must play a role in protecting children and creating a safe and secure environment for them.

Children in South Africa live in a society with a Constitution that has the highest regard for their rights and the equality and dignity of everyone.

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.

Child protection aims to ensure the safety, well-being, care and protection of children through an integrated multi-disciplinary approach.

Despite the best efforts of the South African government and civil society to protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, many children remain vulnerable.

Reducing the high levels of violence against children is among South Africa’s most overwhelming tasks, despite the country’s progressive child protection laws, policies and programmes preventing and addressing violence against children, it remains a major challenge.

Adv Tracey Keen-Horak from Thuthuzela Care Centre warned learners that it is an offence to take and distribute nude pictures of another learner and they can be sentenced to up to five years imprisonment.

She also said a person who is found to be in the position of child pornography should know the minimum sentence is five years.

“ It’s against the law to have a sexual relationship until you are 16 years old.

“Report anyone who touches your genitals or takes photos of your nakedness, and if someone tells you to keep a secret of what he or is doing to you, please don’t.

“If something happened to you, then you tell your parents but if they don’t take action, they can be sent to jail for not listening to you,” Adv Keen-Horak told learners.

Sgt Thembi Motaung, eMbalenhle Police Station’s community policing officer, told learners to enjoy their rights and protection but not to forget that these go with
responsibilities.

She said the police always receive child abuse cases but are working with members from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit who are always safeguarding and making sure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

Other organisations such as Childline have developed appropriate social services, including a 24-hour toll-free helpline and supportive therapeutic social services for children who have been victims of violence, family education and awareness-raising programmes as it also facilitates the prevention of violence against children.