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Child Protection Week
26 May - 1 June 2008
Child Protection Week 2008 runs from 26 May and will culminate in the commemoration of International Children's Day on 1 June. This year's celebrations will be conducted under the theme "Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children's Act."
The focus of Child Protection Week 2008 is therefore to promote the Children's Act as an instrument of fighting child poverty and of promoting the rights of the child. Over the past years, it became clear that the Child Care Act, Act 74 of 1983 is not in keeping with the realities of current social problems and no longer protects children adequately. The Child Care Act has therefore been replaced by a new Children's Act. The Children's Act was signed by the President on 8 June 2006 and the Children's Amendment Act was assented to in March 2008.
The anchor event is a conference on the implementation of the new Children's Act, to be held at the Birchwood Conference centre from 27 to 29 May. The objectives of the implementation Conference are to:
* Determine South Africa's inter-sectoral readiness to implement the Children's Act and the implications thereof.
* Raise awareness and understanding on the Children's Act and promote commitment to implementation.
* Agree and concur on implementation plans, best practice models and services to children.
* Agree on monitoring, evaluation and capacity building mechanisms.
Provincial Programme
All provinces will have events to mark Child Protection Week. The programme will be published on http://www.dsd.gov.za.
Speeches and statements
Events
Children's rights (available in all official languages)
Background to National Child Protection week
The National Child Protection week is an annual campaign of Government led by the Department of Social Development. The goal for child protection week is that all children should grow up in an environment that is safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation. Child protection week highlights the rights of children and ensures that they are placed as a priority in each department and organization's agenda. The child protection system should therefore strive to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation through accessible and coordinated services and a response based on a multi disciplinary and inter -sectoral approach.
A lot of children are still abused which means that the child protection system is still failing the children. It is for this reason that all stakeholders have to revisit their strategies annually to ensure that they can respond to the demand of communities in the most effective and efficient way. Stakeholders need to continuously communicate to communities and to children that we do commit ourselves to their care and protect.
Theme
For the past five years the theme "CHILD PROTECTION IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS” has been used to facilitate inter-sectoral and inter-departmental resource allocation for the protection of children.
This has been found to be the most popular and easily understood theme and campaign strategy. At the national child Protection Committee meeting on 6th to 7th December 2004 the theme was discussed and later changed to "CARING COMMUNITIES PROTECT CHILDREN". The former is still incorporated in the latter as community can mean family, school, church, business sector etc.
Objectives
The following national objectives have been designed in the manner that sector specific and provinces can decide on their specific approach in relation to their objectives. The aim is to collectively bring messages to communities that speak to the same theme and that commitment to service is made within the principles of child protection.
The following objectives have been formulated:
- To raise awareness within communities regarding child protection issues, children's rights and responsibilities.
- To create greater awareness and communicate information on child grants and child maintenance.
- To provide information on the network of services that impact on child protection.
- To strengthen and uphold family's and society's responsibility in the protection of children.
- To uphold government's commitment to the protection and promotion of children's rights in partnership with Non Governmental Organizations and civil society.
Target group: All children alleged to be in need of care including orphans and vulnerable children, children with disabilities and children living on the streets, families and communities.
Activities
National event:
A National Conference is planned to take place from 27 – 29 May 2008 at Birchwood Centre. The theme is “Getting South Africa ready for the implementation of the Children’s Act.” Conference members will represent national and provincial departments and NGO’s.
Provincial activities:
Provinces are to each submit their programs of activities indicating their five projects for the Minister’s attendance.
Child protection logo
During the Child Protection week of 2004 the child protection ribbon was launched.
The green ribbon is “a symbol of child protection. The color green simbolizes conservation, growth, life and hope”. If one wears the green ribbon it puts an obligation on the person to say “I will protect a child.”
The message for the promotion of the green ribbon is as follows:
Green means life, green means growth, let us conserve our children. Give them love and hope. Wear a green ribbon to show you care and support. Stand up, be committed and protect a child.
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Last modified: 28 May 2008 10:06:46. |
