Residents Commemorate The Day Of An African Child

Olefile Serokolo | Monday June 19, 2017 16:59

Speaking during the ceremony, advisor from Stepping Stones International Human Rights and Child Protection Chirwah Mahloko said the day is an opportunity for the residents, families and the country as a whole to introspect how they respect and protect children’s rights. He said the country will be delivering a report of Universal Economic Review at the end of this month. He said inside the review there is a quote, which introspect how children are respected as well.

“The time we live in is not the same as in the past. Issues that affect our children are not the same as of the past. More than ever we have to pay attention, defend and protect our children’s rights and prepare where they can live with us to make sure they live a better life,” he said. Mahloko said they continue to experience abuse of children by their families and outsiders. He said they have witnessed an alarming rate of children falling pregnant. ‘‘In the past children pregnancy was found at senior schools, but nowadays we witness primary pupils falling pregnant,” he said.

He said it is disheartening to continue witnessing the growing numbers that show children being abused in preschools. “As we reconcile parents ask them where the children are and how they live, this can be a way of reducing cases of children abuse,” he said.

Blessing Othusitse, who was the guest speaker, said governments are always going to attempt to protect children and make sure that their rights are up-held. He said the only reason people go to marches and protest over anything is because of lack of attention to hear their opportunities on a good note. ‘Governments do listen to children but for as long as they do not consider us in official matters especially those that affect us, then my vision of 2030 is of little change, in my opinion this is one of the things that hinder African countries from true development,” he said.

He said children who come from rich families have an unfair advantage over other children. He proposed that governments should provide universal education.

“Another thing governments can do to encourage equal opportunity is by assigning teachers who produce good results and are good at what they do, to go and teach in the regions that are underprivileged. This way everyone will have a good chance at equal education,” he said. He also asked parents to take care of their children saying how children develop depends on the environment they are exposed to. He said a child cannot have a good chance in life, if they are raised in a broken family, little job opportunity and a generally deprived community.

For her part, head of welfare and community development Baledzi Mokubate said the government has done a lot on care and upbringing of the children in the country. She said now is the parents responsibility to move forward and follow the laws that are made to protect their children.