Programme director
Acting Regional Commissioner
Acting Deputy Regional Commissioner
Area Commissioner
Representatives from the Department of Social Development and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
Our partners
The mothers, family members and the children
It gives me great pleasure to join you today to mark the 2010 Child Protection week which was launched by the President, His Excellency, Mr Jacob Zuma at the Atteridgeville community hall yesterday.
It is heartening to observe that South Africa has set aside a week; from 24 to 30 May 2010; to focus on our most vulnerable citizens, our children.
Under the leadership of the Department of Social Development, we join hands this week to mobilise all stakeholders and communities to protect and put children first, not only this week, but for 365 days. This has become an annual campaign since the introduction of the Child Protection Week in 1997.
I am humbled by the partners and friends of correctional services who have heeded the call of the campaign “to put children first”. The Minister of Correctional Services, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and I, appreciate the participation, of the various biker groups (Bikers That Care, In the Spirit of Riding, and Steel Wings) our sister departments, families and friends of incarcerated mothers, and members of the community in this very important event. Your presence here today affirms this year’s national theme that “Caring communities protect children” significance of child protection week.
This year’s campaign is significant because we are celebrating uTata uMadiba’s 20 years of freedom. His relentless work to put the child first is in line with the convention on the rights of the child which advocates for the best interest of the child to be the primary concern in making decisions that may affect them. In receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, Mr Mandela committed South Africa to the purposes defined in the world declaration on the survival, protection and development of children.
I was moved by the following statement in the declaration made at the World Summit for Children, in September 1990, aimed at giving every child a better future.
“The children of the world are innocent, vulnerable and dependant. They are also curious, active and full of hope. Their time should be one of joy and peace, of playing, learning and growing. Their future should be shaped in harmony and cooperation. Their lives should mature, as they broaden their perspective and gain new experiences.”
We all know that for many children the reality out there is far from the ideal described above. Today we have specifically invited children who are vulnerable and at risk because they have been separated from their mothers who are incarcerated in our correctional centres.
Challenges facing incarcerated mothers
The rights of mothers and children to family life require special consideration. Research has shown that the proportion of woman in incarceration in any correctional system throughout the world varies between 2 and 8%. Our own statistics in South Africa bear testimony to this. The current national offender profile shows that female offenders constitute 2,3% (3674) of the total population of 164,526 offenders.
Many may argue that the number is small and insignificant, but it is our conviction that one mother in a correctional center is one mother too many because mothers are our primary care givers. The majority of the female offenders are in the age group of 25 and above, and of these many may very well be mothers who have left children at home.
When we were growing up, in most homes, there was a poster that read, “Liyintoni na ikhaya elingena mama?” (What is a home without a mother?) In the majority of cases in those days the mothers’ absence could be attributed to death or migrant labour. Today things have changed; we face a different challenge, where mothers are away because they found themselves in conflict with the law and are incarcerated in our correctional centres.
We just celebrated Mother’s day recently on May 9th, sms’ messages, telephone calls and emails did the rounds, children sending well wishes and messages of love to their mothers and people they associate with motherhood. Our women in the centres did not receive that affection, even though their children’s hearts were yearning to give the love and affection. Their mothers have been removed from them by the law and do not have the privilege of mobile phones. They couldn’t share the day with their children and missed out on seeing the paintings made especially for them at school or crèche.
All children need a mother to provide love and warmth, to hold them and to care for them. With this knowledge in mind, mothers will hide their pain from their family and children because they feel that their love doesn’t allow them to show pain. All they want is to share joy, for their families to be happy at all times. Mothers in correctional facilities are deprived of the joy of seeing their children growing, teaching them, instilling positive values, guiding them, to separate right from wrong.
During visiting times, children are confined in to a small room; a mother cannot invite her child to see where she spends the night. It is difficult for a mother to say goodbye to her child who is going on a school trip and returning the same day. Imagine how saddening it is to have to bid farewell to a child, who has travelled miles to see her mother, only to spend a few hours and not be invited to her room.
Policy context
Our correctional centres were designed for men and there are very few female correctional centres. This results in female offenders being far away from their homes, thus having a negative impact on family life; especially for those who have children. Although our facilities now allow babies to the age of two years to stay with their mothers in correctional centres, it is still a challenge to those above the age of two. This stage of life is very important to a child to share and to learn from a mother. At this stage a child might feel neglected which will have a negative impact on the child’s whole life. The forming of a bond with the mother is of utmost importance for later development.
These campaigns, where opportunities are provided for children to interact with their mothers, will give the children hope that they are not neglected, and l prepare for the eventual release of the mother. This is in line with the constitution which advocates for offenders to communicate with their families.
The convention on the rights of the child states that children have rights as human beings and that they also need protection, which of course they don’t get from incarcerated mothers. Growing away from a mother deprives children of freedom; they suffer from poverty, homelessness and unequal education. All rights are interconnected and are of equal importance.
The convention recognises that parents have the most important role in bringing up children, as much as children have the right to live with their parents, unless it is bad for them. Children whose parents do not stay together have the right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might hurt the child. For families whose members live in different places, movement between those places should be allowed so that parents and children can stay in contact.
Children have among other rights, the right to parental responsibilities and state assistance-both the state and the parents share the responsibility of bringing up their children, and they should consider what is best for each child. They have a right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, physically or mentally.
The family is recognised as the main agent of socialisation for children and depriving them that right has a negative impact on their lives. We commend and thank the family members present here today who have become the primary care givers for these children while their mothers are serving their sentence.
Our most valuable resource: Children
Our great country has taken tremendous strides in the past sixteen years so that all people, young and old, men and women can enjoy the fruits of our growing democracy. Our government has guaranteed that those who can- do; and those who can’t- are assisted. We have laws that protect our rights as people to live life safe from persecution, free to pursue individual dreams of excellence and the manifestation of our divine destinies.
As such our children need special protection not only because they are our future, but because they are amongst the most vulnerable members of our society. What do we mean when we speak of vulnerable groups especially in a country where human rights are protected? Vulnerable groups are those that need more attention because they are most likely to experience discrimination and violation than others in the community. Children especially need to be protected as they are fragile and dependent on adults for their care and development. According to the United Nations (UN): the “child, by reason of his physical and mental maturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth” (United Nations, 1989).
The Constitution of South Africa in particular the Bill of Rights has a special section on the rights of the child which is important for all children.
Section 28 provides children with the right to a name; citizenship, and some form of care. Children need food and shelter and should be protected from abuse, neglect and degradation. No child should work when they are under age or do work that would interfere with their education or development. Children should be incarcerated only as a last resort and should not have to share a cell with adults. It further states that they (children) should not take part in wars and should be protected during conflict.
As a country we have our fair share of challenges. Our most vulnerable citizens continue to face the afflictions of poverty, disease, neglect, abuse and for those in our care in the correctional centres; the denial of things that we take for granted such as being able to play in a park; to have the security of a mother’s love and to be able to laugh and play with other children.
Children do not belong in prisons and yet we are seeing more and more young people entering our centres accused of the most grievous crimes. We cannot allow this situation to continue unabated, for history will judge us harshly if we do not protect our most valuable resource; our children.
To the parents and other adults gathered here today I draw you to the eloquent words of scripture (Mathew 18:10) “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
That is why we have to protect them; That is why we must protect them.
For far too long we have reneged on our responsibilities as parents; it is far too easy to point out where the youth have erred, however for every single young person in prison we have to account. Where were we? How did we let our children fall through the cracks? For every child that will grow up without a parent, we have to account. For every child that is at risk of further trauma from being separated from the love of their mother we have to account. For each child now that stands exposed to exploitation and abuse, we have to account.
To the beautiful, and dynamic children gathered today I have these humble words for you, from our very first President, the great father of our Nation Tata Mandela.
“You, our children should be free to dream and free to be you. Remember, however that freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility, self respect and respect for others. Do not go out there to self-destruct, but prepare to be conscientious leaders of tomorrow. Good wise leaders respect the law and basic values of their society. Go out there and contribute to the well being of your homes, your communities, schools, churches, sports and cultural clubs.”
(Nelson Mandela Annual Children’s Celebrations Bloemfontein 27 September 2003)
I thank you.
Source: Department of Correctional Services
