YOUTH PLEA FOR EDUCATION TO END CHILD ABUSE SCOURGE

By Cuma Pantshwa

• Youth in Bojanala District are calling for increased education on child abuse and better support systems as they face escalating violence and neglect.
• Statistics reveal a severe increase in child abuse cases, with 21,447 incidents reported in the 2023/2024 financial year, and a troubling rise in child suicides.
• Community leaders and students alike emphasised the need for more awareness campaigns and collective action to address and prevent child abuse and ensure the protection of children.

Children in Bojanala District face severe challenges including violence, child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Thirteen-year-old Ketshegofaditswe Ndlovu expressed a pressing concern: “I feel like not a lot of people are educated about child abuse. Many children are unaware of the different types of abuse, and we need more education so that children can report it. Most children are not reporting abuse.”

Ms Basetsana Dantjie, MEC for Social Development in North West, reported a worsening situation. She highlighted that children under 18 are increasingly suffering from mental health issues, with some attempting or committing suicide. In the first half of 2024, 146 children in North West attempted suicide.

North West is amongst the four (4)- {Northern Cape, Free State, Limpopo} provinces supported by National Department of Social Development to advance care and protection of children since these provinces showed high numbers of children falling pregnant and those who attempted suicide.

During a community engagement in Bojanala under the 365 Days of Child Protection Programme of Action, which addresses violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation, Ms Siza Magangoe, Acting Deputy Director of Welfare Services at DSD, revealed troubling statistics. The National Child Protection Register (NCPR) recorded 21,447 cases of child abuse and neglect for the 2023/2024 financial year, including deliberate neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and abandonment. “Despite the good policies and laws we have in place, violence against children persists. We have normalised violence within the community, so we must embark on education and awareness campaigns to reverse this trend. It requires a collective effort to make noise about this issue until it ceases,” emphasised Ms Magangoe.

Grade 10 student Atlegang expressed concern, stating, “I think many children are committing suicide because of their dire situations. We need more sessions like these to educate the community and support children.”

MEC Dantjie reminded the elders present that responsibility begins at home: “When a 12-year-old falls pregnant, something is wrong. Where are the parents, guardians, and teachers? The responsibility lies with us; children cannot tackle these issues alone. They need our support.”

Thirteen-year-old Oreabetse Bosman added, “There are not enough campaigns available, and we need more so that the numbers in our district can decrease, and we can feel safe in Bojanala.”

In her address, MEC Dantjie also stressed the need for advanced interventions to protect children, calling on all stakeholders to share the responsibility for child protection. “Child protection is everyone’s business, and it takes a village to raise a child,” she concluded.

The 365 Days Child Protection Programme of Action is an on-going programme of the Department of Social Development. 

The campaign seeks to strengthen government’s commitment in upholding the constitutional rights of children with regard to their care and protection, acknowledging that protection of children is multi-faceted, requiring a multi-pronged approach and inter- sectoral collaboration to deal with all the social ills impacting negatively on the lives of children.