PROTECTING CHILDREN STARTS AT HOME, SAYS SAVE THE CHILDREN CEO

By Ronewa Makhesha

• Real change is possible in the campaign to protect children from harm when parents, caregivers and neighbours are equipped with knowledge and empowered to act.
• ⁠This was the message from two non-government organisations – Save the Children South Africa and Childline South Africa – at the official launch of Child Protection Month in the Free State on 11 May 2025.
• Both organisations emphasised that the protection of children is not a passive responsibility but an active, ongoing commitment that requires every segment of society to be engaged.

Laws alone are not enough to safeguard the nation’s children – families and communities must take centre stage in the necessary role of protectors.

This was the message from the CEO of Save the Children South Africa, Gugu Xaba, as the country focuses on Child Protection Month this May.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign at Thaba Nchu in the Free State on 11 May 2025, Xaba emphasised that real change begins when parents, caregivers, and neighbours are equipped with knowledge and empowered to act.

“Without communities, we cannot promise safety,” she warned, urging a united front to not only respond to abuse but to prevent harm before it happens.

Xaba elaborated on the proactive and responsive measures required during Child Protection Month and beyond.

“It is important we are clear on how we are identifying the need to prevent the challenges from happening and making sure that we are responding; it must be a timely response and an effective response.”

She underscored the indispensable role of the community in preventing abuse and neglect.

“In the spirit of working together, it is important that the community members understand the power is being handed over to them because without them, we cannot protect these children, without them, we cannot promise safety.”

This echoes Save the Children’s year-round commitment to training parents, communities, and leaders to create safer environments, recognising that while South Africa has good policies, consistent implementation at the community level is key.

Adding her voice to the call for unity and empowerment, the CEO of Childline South Africa, Dumisile Nala, acknowledged the presence and powerful contributions of young people.

“We welcome our students and our youths who are here and thank them for agreeing to be with us today, representing the whole of South Africa,” she said.

Nala emphasised that the voices of children themselves often carry the most important messages. “We don’t have much to say today because these children have said everything that needed to be said – like the little one said, ‘Protect, do not attack’.”

This simple yet profound plea from a child encapsulates Childline’s core message.

Nala reiterated the imperative to “ensure that we work together to protect our children, that we don’t see them as sex slaves”.

She called for a robust reinforcement of child protection mechanisms “to ensure that no child is left behind”.

Childline South Africa, which is known for its vital 24-hour toll-free helpline of 116, champions the idea that “it takes a village to raise a child” and stresses the need for collaboration between communities, the government, and other stakeholders to create a culture where children’s rights are paramount and they are shielded from harm.

Both leaders’ messages underscore a unified vision: the protection of children is not a passive responsibility but an active, ongoing commitment that requires every segment of society to be engaged.

From understanding and upholding children’s rights within the family unit to fostering safe and responsive communities, and ensuring robust support systems are in place, the call is clear.

As Child Protection Month casts a spotlight on these critical issues, the words of Gugu Xaba and Dumisile Nala serve as a reminder that the safety and future of South Africa’s children rest in the hands of its people working together.