Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe is leading the nation’s commemoration of the International Day of Families today in Cape Town, placing the spotlight on the vital role families play in protecting and nurturing children.
The event forms part of South Africa’s ongoing Child Protection Month campaign and underscores the theme: ‘Family-oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development 2025’.
The Department of Social Development has emphasised that families serve as the first and most important line of defence in safeguarding children.
“Child protection is a collective responsibility. Parents, caregivers and communities all have a critical role to play in creating safe and supportive environments for children,” the department said.
As part of the day’s activities, Tolashe will officially launch the Revised White Paper on Families, as well as the Families Matter programme -- two landmark initiatives aimed at reinforcing the wellbeing, care and protection of children through stronger family structures.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to family-focused interventions, noting that current programmes such as positive parenting workshops, the Families Matter programme, and various social assistance measures are key to building resilient, child-safe households.
Highlighting the global significance of the occasion, the department pointed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which not only underscores the family’s central role in child protection but also mandates government intervention when families are unable to fulfil this duty.
The International Day of Families takes on even greater relevance this year, as South Africa hosts Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children. M’jid is in the country to assess South Africa’s progress in its fight to end violence against children.
These initiatives are aimed at reaffirming that protecting children starts at home, and that when families are empowered and supported, they are boon to sustainable social development. - SAnews.gov.za
