Child Protection Week highlights GBV crisis in South Africa
Parents and communities urged to play active role in the protection of children
Local communities and parents are urged to play an active role in the education and protection of children.
This plea was made by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and other dignitaries who attended the closing ceremony of this year’s Child Protection Week hosted at Nhlabane in KwaMbonambi on Sunday.
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Zulu, who was accompanied by Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, expressed concern with the high number of teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the province.
According to the Department of Health’s National Adolescent and Youth Health Policy, last year alone, 269 girls aged between 10 and 14 years gave birth in KZN, with uMkhanyakude District recording the highest rate of teenage pregnancies among children of the same age.
‘Long before Covid-19, teenage pregnancy has, and remains, a serious developmental challenge as it jeopardises the health and educational outcome for the girl child.
‘Early pregnancy is the primary cause of school dropouts, which results in poverty cycles and many young girls being stigmatised by society for being teenage mothers, or even being forced into early marriage,’ said Zulu.
Zulu urged parents to open up the channels of communication between themselves and their children.
She further encouraged victims of GBV to not only report cases to the Saps, but also the Gender-Based Violence
Command Centre (GBVCC).
‘Whether it is hate crimes, assault, abduction, rape, emotional, psychological or physical abuse, we need to report such cases.
‘GBVCC is accessible 365 days-a-year, and assists victims of abuse and violence to speak directly to a trained social worker.
‘Victims of abuse or people seeking immediate assistance are advised to call the toll-free number to speak directly with trained social workers who can provide emotional and psychological support, as well as counselling for those who may be traumatised,’ said Zulu.
Social Development MEC Nonhlahla Khoza, who also attended the ceremony, said uMfolozi Municipality was selected for the closing ceremony because of the number of rape, teenage pregnancy and GBV cases reported in the area.
She encouraged the community to join forces with government to rectify this.
‘Let us work with our municipality to fix this. Let us not fold our hands and do nothing,’ she said.
The session was also attended by uMfolozi Mayor Xolani Bhengu, who reminded the community that children are a ‘gift from God who should always be loved and protected’.
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