Programme Director
My colleague, Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation
Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency
Deputy Chief of United States (US) Mission and representative of President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
Director of Health Promotion Unit at the Medical Research Council
Honoured Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me first apologise programme director that I will not be able to be with you till the end of the programme due to some urgent engagement that I have been assigned. But I must say that it is a great honour for me to join you at this very important occasion of the release of the second Youth Risk Behaviour Survey.
Our government has taken a major step of putting monitoring mechanisms to ensure that we measure the progress made in the implementation of various public policies. The report we are receiving today is a contribution to the data collection on health indicators. This is very valuable since, as you well know, health is one of the five priorities of government.
Just to indicate briefly why we get involved in projects like these, the Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities aims to mainstream gender, children’s rights and disability consideration throughout the programmes of government. We have a responsibility to play an oversight role to ensure that all Government programmes contribute to the protection and promotion of rights of children in this case.
In addition to mainstreaming and oversight, we are initiating flagship programmes to facilitate the realization of rights of children. One of the key areas of intervention is the area of violence affecting many children of our country. In this regard, we are intensifying the implementation of 365 and 16 Days of Activism Campaign on No Violence Against Women and Children.
I glad therefore that the report being released today addresses the issue of both intentional and unintentional injuries affecting children. I am very much concerned though about the statistics in the report that confirm that we are indeed faced with a serious problem in this area. The number of learners that are members of gangs or were involved in physical fights and got injured have increased over the six years of reporting of this survey.
While the incidents of bullying and number of young people who carry weapons have decreased slightly, these figures remain disturbingly high. If we link that with the findings on the high levels of alcohol use and what is termed “binge drinking” amongst youth, I can say that we are in a risk of a very explosive situation.
We have to strengthen interventions against abuse of alcohol in our society. We have to ensure that there is no sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18. We also have to establish the extent to which massive advertising and promotion of alcohol has an impact on early initiation and high levels of alcohol use amongst young people. The report indicates that about 12% of children start drinking at less than the age of 13 years.
Certainly, that situation cannot be allowed. While government has put measures such as the Liquor Act and regulations highlighting the negative effects of alcohol abuse, we also need to ensure that parents and adults in society play their role. About 38% of learners reported to have been driven by someone under the influence of alcohol. Since the majority of the learners surveyed should be below the legal driving age of 18, one can only assume that these drunken drivers transporting children would be adults in their families and community.
As adults, we need to be good role-models. We cannot be sending children to shebeens to buy us beers and cigarettes and not take some responsibility for promoting the use of these substances amongst our children.
Despite the challenges, the report also highlights some information that is encouraging to us in government and other stakeholders in the health sector. There is generally a decrease in the number of the young people surveyed who have ever had sex and those who have more than one sexual partner. Also encouraging is the increase in the use of condoms.
These findings confirm the decrease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevalence recorded amongst teenagers in the HIV Prevalence Survey of the Department of Health and the South African National HIV Survey conducted by Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). This should encourage all of us to intensify HIV prevention interventions. It is becoming more certain that we can achieve our dream of an HIV-free generation.
The area of physical activity and nutrition also requires attention as it has impact on various chronic conditions that will affect children later on in life. We have to encourage more participation on learners in sporting activities. The hosting of the soccer world cup in particular should be used to mobilise even more learners to leave TV games and play.
Our role as the Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities is to ensure coordination of government programmes to ensure that our country meets its constitutional, regional and international obligations relating to children. Health is a basic human right and a critical indicator for development of a nation. The report we are receiving today is of great value to our task of ensuring that we improve our indicators on the well being of children.
As you indicate in your recommendations, Professor Reddy, this ministry is making effort to improve coordination across departments to adequate service delivery. Our goal is to ensure that children live in a safe environment and they all get an opportunity to grow up to their full potential.
Thank you
Source: Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities
