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Everyone at the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (NMCF) is acutely aware that violence against children is a global phenomenon that cuts across culture, class, education, income, and ethnicity. However, they acknowledge that there has been significant progress in making the world a better place for all children.
The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund recently hosted a National Children’s Day dialogue to help ignite collective action, spark significant conversations and inspire innovative solutions. They tirelessly continue to urge policymakers, civil society groups, corporations, communities, the media, and individuals to join them as the agents of change our children so sorely need.
In the words of African Union Director of Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, Prudence Ngwenya, “While childhood is changing, child rights are not changing. Our children are growing up in a changing Africa, and some forces are driving the change. Between now and 2050, 1,6 billion children will be born in Africa. This is a reason for us to accelerate progress and not allow it to be business as usual. We must meet the demands of the future today.”
To do this, we need to fully acknowledge the diversity of children in our society and what that means in practical terms, she added.
For her part, Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, emphasized the importance of recognizing children that are differently enabled. “We're all in agreement, children must be protected. It's difficult to say children must be protected when we don't see or hear them. You cannot protect children if they don't feel seen or heard. We must engage children in decisions that affect them, and be mindful of the environments we're exposing them to.
“Furthermore, we must talk about the importance of acknowledging children with disabilities. Let us remember that children are diverse and that we should acknowledge their special needs too.”
In exploring the importance of coming together and rallying behind children, Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo, CEO of the NMCF, explains: “We all must protect and care for the children in our society. Campaigns and events such as the Children’s Dialogue help us to have honest reflections on the challenges of violence against children, and shine a spotlight on gains made by the custodians of child rights and stakeholders across government and corporate entities.
“As we gear up for World Children’s Day and the release of the State of the South African Child’s Report on the 20th, the month of November serves as a period to heighten awareness about the need for everyone in society to protect the lives and rights of children, and we need to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel,” Ncube-Nkomo adds.
SA faces great challenges in terms of violence against children. The economic cost alone is significant, confirming the need to recognize violence against children as a crucial socioeconomic problem for the country's future growth.
In terms of how they decided who to invite to speak on the day, Ncube-Nkomo said it was a deliberate effort aimed at harnessing the power of diverse perspectives. “We brought together mavericks in child safety and protection. We aimed to create a space where unconventional and innovative viewpoints could converge, fostering the potential for creative and practical solutions to complex issues.
“We appeal to communities to continue to engage on the issues of child safety and protection, and to become the custodians of children because government alone cannot eradicate the scourge of child abuse,” she concluded. “Regrettably, violence against children often occurs in homes where children should feel safe, nurtured, and cared for. However, if we stand together to recognize and practice children’s rights, they'll be well looked after to become the future they're destined for. The hashtag #StrongerTogether isn't just for the Bokke – it represents what we can be if we all play a part in creating a South Africa that's safe for all our children.”
The post and content is sponsored, written and provided by Nedbank and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
