Children should be consulted on divorce

Pini Bothoko | Thursday March 6, 2014 17:24

 

Ookame Mokabathebe, head of Child Protection Services in the Department of Social Protection asked councilors yesterday to engage the public on especially the matter of divorce.

Speaking before a full council meeting of the Tonota Sub-District on Tuesday Mokabathebe noted that parents have a habit of leaving their children out when deciding to separate. He said that children only realize only later that their parents were no longer in good terms, leading to negative outcome.

'Cases of divorce affect children badly especially those in which children were not consulted about the issue before their parents decided to divorce.

'It is a sad situation for children to find out that their parents were no longer happy, fighting and separating without children's knowledge. I plead with you to encourage member of the public to take this issue seriously because it has been bad for the children,' she said.

She said parents’ separation at time leads to children making wrong life choices.

'Children have the right to be cared for by both parents and should be consulted if there is any change in the family especially on issue like divorce that will irrevocably affect their future, ' she said. 

Mokabathebe said parents in marital problems should discuss the decision they have taken with their children before acting on it.

'It is painful to wake up one morning and find out that one of your parents has moved out of the house without your knowledge. Let children know what you are going through and tell them how you will support them as parents after divorce, ' said Mokabathebe.

Children in divorced families need assurance that they are not the reason for the breakup and share the truth behind the separation.

Mokabathebe added that negligence of children was high in Botswana, not in rural areas as most of people think. She said they have had cases where even the cities parents would abandon their children for days on end, with no parental care while they are out abusing alcohol.

'This is against the law as children have the right to be cared for even if from a low income environment, you should make sure that you support your children. Even if you are faced with poverty you have to find a way of taking care of your children,' she said.

She went on to caution parents against child labour saying children should do jobs that correspond to their age to differentiate child labour and child work.

In response, some councilors noted that children's rights were problematic saying it perpetuates misbehavior.

Councillor Bathoeng Maseko of Mandunyane ward said that he agreed that children should be consulted, but to a certain level because there were issues that in Setswana culture that cannot be discussed with children.

He said parents were no longer in control of their children because of the rights they have and it was the reason why things like teenage pregnancy was a topical issue in Botswana.

Maseko stated that Children's Act should be reviewed saying it was outdated and making it impossible to be enforced in present times.

Councillor Isaac Mabechu of Shashemooke ward said that it looked like Children's Act was complied by someone who was not a Motswana. 'Someone who did not know our culture because it is the opposite of our culture.'