Stakeholders unite for child protection awareness
The event highlighted children’s rights, safety, and well-being, as well as the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect
The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with Safe-Hub, the City of Johannesburg Library, the City of Johannesburg Health Department, and SANCA Soweto, hosted a Child Protection Awareness event on June 5 at Jabulani.
Various day-care centres from across Soweto, together with their teachers and community members, attended the event to learn about children’s rights, safety, and well-being, and the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect.
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Childcare officer from the City of Johannesburg Social Development Department, Duduzile Malinga, told Urban News that they decided to host the awareness campaign because it is important for young children to know their rights, understand the importance of being protected at all times, and recognise what constitutes abuse.
“Children at a young age do not necessarily know what abuse is, so this awareness campaign serves as a way of educating them. It also educates the community on the importance of protecting children from all forms of danger, whether it is abuse or other hazards. Our children must always be protected,” said Malinga.
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She added that it is important to educate communities during Child Protection Week so that residents can put into practice what they have learned.
Malinga said that many communities face challenges because some neighbours are unaware of children’s rights and are not adequately informed about child protection issues.
She further stated that, as the Children’s Services Department, they have noticed that children who experience abuse at a young age are often affected later in life when they become adults.
Malinga said that abuse can have long-term effects, some of which may not be immediately visible, but often become more severe as they grow older.
For this reason, they are working to prevent such cases.
SANCA Soweto project coordinator Moses Seaga said they collaborated with other stakeholders to end Child Protection Week on a high note.
“What we do specifically is puppet shows. We specialise in that, but our puppet shows are not only about fun; they are also educational, especially on issues such as second-hand smoking and alcohol abuse.
“Children often copy what they see at home when family members smoke or drink in front of them, which can negatively influence their behaviour.
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Our aim is to teach young children that when they find themselves in such situations, they should speak up and share what they have learned,” he said.
Speaking to Urban News, Serogole Educare Centre teacher Anna Moloi said the importance of such initiatives is evident and appreciated.
“The Child Protection Awareness campaign has really taught us a lot. Both teachers and learners have benefited greatly from this initiative. We are grateful for this opportunity,” said Moloi.
