Protection Week and International Children's Day
29 May 2007
The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs this
afternoon officially closed the two-day Symposium on Child Poverty which also
marked the launch of Child Protection Week in Sandton, Johannesburg.
In her closing remarks Dr Swanson-Jacobs reiterated the importance of
integrated co-ordination between government, non-government organisations
(NGOs) and civil society to further the cause of South African children.
Having deliberated on child poverty issues the delegates coming from
government, civil society and international donor agencies, committed
themselves to amongst other issues the following:
Social security
1. motivation for the extension of the child support grant (CSG),
(government is currently investigating the extension of services to children 14
to 18 years of age)
2. consolidation of services for children between 0 to 5 years and 5 to 17
years old
3. comprehensive assessment of children at different services points
4. development of a comprehensive multi dimensional poverty line
5. development of comprehensive social security to respond to the needs of the
whole family.
Community foundations
1. Community organisations should be recognised as a critical developmental
partner to government in funding community development, for example, a
community foundation approach.
2. There is a need to examine the role of development partners in contributing
to government priorities and strategies in child poverty.
3. There is a need to review the institutional arrangements with development
partners for better co-ordination and alignment.
Child protection and development
1. training of service providers, investment in human capital of all
practitioners involved in child protection and development
2. strategies for co-ordination and integration of services at all levels of
government
3. continuous monitoring and evaluation of CSG and other child grants for
impact evaluation into child protection and development
4. mainstreaming of children issues in all programmes
5. expanding no school fees policy, planning and mapping of services
integration of Information Management System (IMS) as integral part of planning
and management
6. development and strengthening of community based models of child care and
protection for development purposes
7. School Nutrition Programme should be extended to secondary and high
school
8. programmes to strengthen and support families
9. specialised social work services for effective service delivery
10. Community Based Organisations (CBOs) structures to work together in terms
of co-ordination and integration, role of development workers, strengthening
skills of care givers, volunteers, development workers and community health
workers.
Community development approaches
1. social sector to agree on a clear definition of child poverty with
indicators taking into account contexts
2. documentation of all interventions as to establish successes and
models
3. child caring practices for parents (fathers and mothers)
4. capacity building for community based interventions
5. sustainable funding
6. monitoring and evaluation
7. identification and strengthening of indigenous practices, integrate these
into policies (addressing the few years after turning 18, nurturing towards
independence)
8. specialisation in training and capacity building in service providers, e.g.
caregivers
9. self-empowerment strategies, economic self empowerment programmes, identify
and strengthen existing livelihood strategies
10. provide infrastructure to ensure effective community based intervention
that will address basic needs
11. community education and information to create awareness and intensify
efforts to combat child poverty
12. to restore entrepreneurial spirit linked to the beneficiaries of social
grants.
Invest in community based early childhood development (ECD) interventions
that will have a long term effect of alleviating poverty and facilitate
economic growth and human capital investment.
This weeks events will heighten as Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs (formerly
Benjamin) will officiate at the national International Children's Day
celebrations with the Western Cape Social Development MEC, Ms Kholeka Mqulwana.
The event will take place at Bonteheuwel in Cape Town on 1 June, at 09h00.
Various activities will take place throughout the country to mark Child
Protection Week and details will be posted on the Department's new website,
http://www.dsd.gov.za/.
Enquiries:
Lakela Kaunda
Cell: 082 782 2575
Zingaphi Matanzima
Tel: 012 312 7381
Cell: 073 122 3133
Jonas Mashigo
Tel: 012 312 7793
Cell: 082 615 1478
Issued by: Department of Social Development
29 May 2007
