Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will on Friday launch Child Protection Week which will focus on the protection of children during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The launch, to take place at Atteridgeville in Pretoria, will be a build up towards the protection of children during the World Cup and beyond.
"It will remind parents and caregivers of their responsibility to protect children during the World Cup given challenges such as child trafficking, which unfortunately sometimes become associated with huge events such as the World Cup," the Presidency said.
Child Protection Week, which runs from 24 to 30 May 2010, was introduced by government with an aim to raise awareness, educate and mobilise communities to put children first.
"It will remind parents and caregivers of their responsibility to protect children during the world cup given challenges such as child trafficking, which unfortunately sometimes become associated with huge events such as the World Cup," it said.
The Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities will also hold community walks to highlight children's rights and other activities to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking and other social problems that might affect children during the World Cup.
Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya said the ministry will also be working with municipalities to ensure that areas that have been identified as hotspots for rapes and other violations of rights of children and women are cleared.
"Together with the City of Tshwane, the ministry is making efforts to establish a park and erecting a memorial at the deserted spot where a mutilated body of young Masego Kgomo was found in Soshanguve after she had been missing for days in January.
"We cannot allow anymore women and children to loose their lives through these barbaric incidents, the right to life is the most basic right we should afford to women, children and persons with disabilities," said Mayende-Sibiya.
The event will also mark the launch of the Children's Act which came into effect on 1 April 2010.
