Members of the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Women, Children and People with Disabilities wish to condemn in the strongest terms any form of violence against children. This refers to a video clip of a woman assaulting a defenceless child in Nquthu, KwaZulu-Natal, which has recently been circulating in the media and social media networks.
The Committee Chairperson, Ms Dorothy Ramodibe, said they strongly condemned violence against women and children and called for “speedy investigations and harsh punitive measures against the suspect who appeared in the video clip.
As a country we continue to face a wave of abuse of women and children despite our country being a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and having a Constitution in which children’s rights are enshrined. The person who recorded and circulated the video should also be held to account.”
Ms Ramodibe added that they are equally against any form of violating children`s rights through public abuse. Every child has a right to inherent dignity, which must also be protected and respected. As such the media should be mindful of ensuring the anonymity of all children when reporting in order to avoid secondary victimisation.
The Committee said it was imperative to provide the victim with the necessary support to deal with the physical, psychological and emotional impact as a result of this horrific assault.
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