The commemoration of the Child Protection Week 2020 will be celebrated from 31 May to 07 June 2020, under the theme: “Let us all Protect Children, during Covid-19 and beyond”.
This year the country is faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, affecting all individuals. Children, families and communities are being in lockdown to flatten the curve of this pandemic. It is against this background that awareness campaigns are limited as gatherings are being prohibited. This necessitate the Department of Social Development to reach out to all sectors and communities, through the media, to strengthen our hands in addressing the scourge of Child Maltreatment, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation.
During this time all sectors and communities should focus on the following:
- Stop Child maltreatment.
- Report Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation.
- Physical punishment is harmful to children’s development.
- Protecting Children living in Child Headed Households.
- Protecting the Rights of All Children, including Children with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses.
- Promote the importance of ECD (Early Child Development).
- Promoting successful rehabilitation and care of children in conflict with the law.
- Strengthening Foster Families to care and protect Foster Children.
- Promoting, protecting and strengthening families.
Show your support by wearing your Green Ribbon, the approved logo for the Child Protection Campaign, since 2004. The Green symbolizes life and growth, to conserve our children and to give them hope.
Together, we can Move South Africa Forward!
Unfortunately, violence against children cuts across boundaries of geography, race, class, religion and culture. It occurs in homes, schools and streets; in places of work and entertainment, as well as in care- and detention centres. Perpetrators include parents, family members, teachers, caretakers, law enforcement authorities and other children.
Some children are particularly vulnerable because of gender, race, ethnic origin, disability or social status. No country is immune, whether rich or poor. Violence is widespread in the South African society, to the extent that the country has been described as having the highest prevalence of violence and violence-related injuries in the world among countries where this is measured.
Therefore, it is important to change the perception of people towards violence and increase care and protection of children. Based on recent reports in the media, South Africa has been faced with numerous incidents of violence and community members are living in fear.
The Northern Cape Province in particular experienced the violation of children’s rights through serious abuse, including sexual abuse, in some cases leading to death. The most concerning fact is that children are often the perpetrators of these crimes. There is therefore a need for all key stakeholders and civil society to form an alliance which can help with intervention strategies to decrease this violent behaviour plaguing our communities.
The Child Protection Week Campaign was initiated in 1997, to raise awareness and mobilise all sectors and communities to care and protect children from abuse, neglect, exploitation and all forms of violence.
The campaign has since become an annual campaign to educate and mobilize communities to put children first. The Child Protection Week forms the highlight of the 365 Days’ Campaign of the Department of Social Development, which is intended to strengthen government’s commitment and response towards prevention and protection of children against violence; child abuse; neglect and exploitation by mobilising communities to identify and report cases whilst creating safety nets for children in the respective communities.
For more information on Child Protection, and to report Child Abuse, please contact:
- Provincial Office: 053 - 874 9100
- Frances Baard District: 053 - 807 5900 or 053 - 872 4000
- John Taolo Gaetsewe District: 053 - 712 1549
- Pixley ka Seme District: 053 - 632 7600
- ZF Mgcawu District: 054 - 337 9400
- Namaqua: 027 - 712 8606 or 027 - 341 1444
Enquiries:
Nelmarie van Wyk, Communication Officer, Department of Social Development, Northern Cape Province.
Tel: 053 – 847 9214, Cell: 079 875 0849,
E-mail: nelmarievanwyk@ncpg.gopv.za
