Pretoria - The fifth Annual Nelson Mandela Children’s Parliament is expected to tackle a number of serious issues to do with the protection of children in the country.
Among the topics to be discussed by child parliamentarians are forced child marriages, also known as ukuthwala, the death of young boys at initiation schools, child killings, the death of young girls due to illegal termination of pregnancies and violence in schools.
Hosted by the Department of Social Development in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Free State Provincial Legislature, the child parliamentarians will discuss these issues during the commissions to be held before the sitting of the Children’s Parliament on October 7.
According to the department, the Children’s Parliament creates a platform for children’s participation in democracy and gives them an opportunity to make input to policies, programmes and strategies intended to realise their rights and eradicate the challenges they are faced with.
The platform also promotes the notion that children should not only be seen but also be heard.
“It is a national response to the call by children for accountability by all stakeholders including government departments, civil society organisations, caregivers, teachers, private sector and all other people who have responsibilities for the protection and wellbeing of children.
“South Africa is a signatory to international instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child that offer statutory protection towards providing a better life for children. Over and above, Governments have legislation and policies aimed at protecting children from exploitation,” said the department.
In South Africa, protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse is not only a basic value, but also an obligation clearly set out in Article 28 of the South African Constitution as well as the Children’s Act, which the department is the custodian of.
The Children’s Parliament is a key programme of Social Development Month, which is held in October.
The month aims to increase access to and utilisation of social services through direct intervention by building effective service delivery partnerships between government, communities and other role players. – SAnews.gov.za
