More must be done to protect children
Child Protection Week is commemorated from 28 May to 4 June
COMMEMORATED annually, Child Protection Week is led by the Department of Social Development (DSD), but it is the responsibility of all citizens regardless of social standing.
All children have a right to be protected from neglect and abuse and, to this end, the purpose of Child Protection Week is to raise awareness on issues concerning children’s rights.
‘There are laws in place which support the protection of children, such as the Children’s Act,’ said Michelle Jewlal, Director of LifeLine Zululand based in Richards Bay.
‘The Act essentially focuses on the aspect of Social Services’ involvement with children and their families, while the Child Justice Act seeks to support children whose situation is in conflict with the law.
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‘There is also the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons Act which focuses on the trafficking of children.’
Despite the numerous laws in place to prevent such crimes, Jewlal says that as a community we still find ourselves in a position whereby child abuse, neglect and exploitation are widespread.
‘One can possibly attribute current statistics on child abuse, for example, to the lack of information or the possibility of ignorance as the child’s caregiver sees abuse as a corrective measure or punishment misdemeanours,’ she said.
‘These actions speak directly to the core emotions of the caregiver, begging the question of why such behaviour?’
Jewlal said contributing factors centre around the emotional wellness of an individual and his/her ability to cope with daily stress without feeling overwhelmed.
‘The impact of such abusive actions towards children could possibly lead to the incubation and grooming phase for survivors of ‘domestic violence’, whereby children become accustomed to being abused and accept it as part of life as they grow into adults.’
She said while there are various organisations offering community-based services specifically targeting children, there can never be enough.
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Focusing on the root cause of emotional instability, LifeLine Zululand takes a holistic approach towards emotional wellness, focusing on the whole person and their journey.
The organisation caters for the community through its different projects and programmes, and as such has seen a slight increase in the number of service users, including children.
‘This is not necessarily an increase in the number of cases or incidents, rather an indication that the initiatives in community engagement have been successful,’ concluded Jewlal.
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