ADULTS ARE THE PROBLEM NOT CHILDREN

By Lumka Oliphant

• Despite children’s clear calls for greater protection and recognition of their unique experiences of violence, adults continue to fail them. Government efforts to address child abuse are undermined by the actions of individuals and institutions meant to protect them.
• The increasing number of children involved in violent crime is deeply concerning. This reflects a wider societal problem and highlights the urgent need for preventative measures and support services for young people.
• While significant progress has been made in safeguarding children, the ongoing challenges posed by child abuse, exploitation, and neglect demand sustained focus and collaboration between government departments, communities, and individuals.

Last year, as the department of social development (DSD) we went around the country consulting children on the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.

We did this exercise because children had demanded a Pillar 7 of the NSP-GBVF at the second presidential summit on GBVF.

Naturally as adults, we first dismissed them but because at DSD we have to continue advocating and reminding adults that child participation is a right in this country, we were firmly on the side of the children. We went to provinces and spoke to children from different backgrounds.

The children said they were tired of being lumped together with women when the truth is that they are abused by both men and women.

The girl children said they had nothing against boys and they could see right through us as policy makers when we say gender based violence, we mean women and girls not men and certainly not boys.

The children said most of the time, it is adults who cannot solve their problems and they end up catching stray bullets.

Fathers refusing to pay maintenance and mothers refusing access was an example they sharply used to drive this. I am sharing this on the heels of Pastor Mboro’s delinquent behaviour.

The children were safe in school and an entire pastor came violently to detach children from this safe environment.

He did not care about the other minor children in that school who will be affected for years to come. The trauma they experienced will forever remain in their minds. This barbaric display of violence by adults has the real effect of having taught children yet another lesson that criminal behaviour can be used to resolve  conflict. May the law enforcement agencies deal with his unholy, unreligious and criminal conduct.

May we as South Africans see this for what it is and help government to care and protect children. This matter is a dispute between two families and adults who are imbeciles. Children once again are caught in the fire.

We point fingers at unsafe schools when 14.3 million other children are safely in the hands of government, the department of basic education.

Even when we speak to children, they tell us how happy they are in school with small pockets of unruly educators here and there.

We have even improved access to the Child Protection Register for the department of education to check prospective teachers if they are not appearing on the register for unsuitability to work with children.

To date, basic education has screened 32 036 teachers with 236 teachers found to be unsuitable to work with children.

Just this week, my colleagues shared that between 30 – 50 children are arrested every day in this country.  DSD shared that the profile of the arrested child is worrying. Children are arrested for violent crimes. They see this behaviour from adults.

Every day government deploys resources towards protecting South African children. May we deal with the delinquents, the adults, who have no respect and no regard for children.