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Celebration of Child Protection Week (CPW) and International Children’s Day
16 May 2007
The Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya and the Gauteng Social Development MEC Mr Kgaogelo Lekgoro, will engage stakeholders and other role players on tackling child poverty and ending violence against children, at the launch of national Child Protection Week on the Monday, 28 May 2007.
The launch will take the form of a two-day symposium on tackling child poverty to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, starting on 28 May 2007 at 09h00. Child Protection Week will run from Monday, 28 May 2007 until Sunday, 3 June 2007. The symposium will run from Monday, 28 May 2007 to Tuesday, 29 May 2007.
The objectives of the symposium are:
To discuss the magnitude of child poverty in South Africa, with the view to:
* review existing child poverty reduction strategies and interventions
* enhance existing plans towards reducing child poverty
Intended outcomes:
* defined roles of stakeholders: Government, private sector, civil society, research and academic institutions
* unpacking the strengths and gaps of existing interventions
* generate discussions on appropriate monitoring and evaluations systems.
Meanwhile, Social Development Deputy Minister, Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs (formerly Benjamin) will officiate at the national International Children’s Day celebrations with the Western Cape Social Development MEC, Ms Kholeka Mqulwana. The event will take place at Bonteheuwel in Cape Town on Friday 1 June 2007, at 09h00. Various activities will take place throughout the country to mark CPW, and details will be posted on the department's new website, http://www.dsd.gov.za.
Since 1994, government has introduced a host of programmes to protect children from vulnerability. More than seven million children receive the Child Support Grant while close to 400 000 receive the Foster Care Grant. Building a protective environment for a child is a collective undertaking. "We want to strengthen our partnership with all sectors to confront challenges of poverty, unemployment, child abuse, neglect and exploitation, loss of support systems within families and other conditions which increase the vulnerability of children. We urge all in the country to join us in raising awareness and to work together to fight poverty and all conditions that lead to the vulnerability of children," said Dr Skweyiya.
Factors associated with child abuse, amongst others are socio- political issues, social attitudes towards children, gender roles, poverty and family structures and their functioning, substance abuse, domestic violence, HIV and AIDS pandemic and child-headed households.
Enquiries
Lakela Kaunda
Cell: 082 782 2575
Zingaphi Matanzima
Tel: (012) 312 7381
Cell: 073 122 3133
E-mail: zingaphim@socdev.gov.za
Jonas Mashigo
Tel: 082 615 1478
Issued by: Department of Social Development
16 May 2007