Media Statement
9 May 2008
Child Protection Week to Focus on Promoting Children's Act
Social Development Minister, Dr. Zola Skweyiya will officially launch this year’s Child Protection Week (CPW) celebrations at the Birchwood Hotel, East Rand, Johannesburg on May 27.
Child Protection week runs from May 27 and will culminate in the commemoration of International Children’s Day on 1 June. This year’s celebrations will be conducted under the theme “Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act”.
The anchor event is a conference on the implementation of the new Children’s Act, to be held at the Birchwood Conference centre from 27-29 May.
Central to the fight against poverty is the focus on improving the quality of life of children, through alleviating poverty and ensuring that they receive all the services that they are entitled to in terms of the Constitution. The newly-enacted Children’s Act comprehensively provides the framework for children to enjoy these rights and services. including protection from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation. The best interests of a child are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.
The focus of Child Protection Week 2008 is therefore to promote the Children’s Act as an instrument of fighting child poverty and of promoting the rights of the child. Over the past years, it became clear that the Child Care Act, 74 of 1983 is not in keeping with the realities of current social problems and no longer protects children adequately. The Child Care Act has therefore been replaced by a new Children’s Act. The Children’s Act was signed by the President on 8 June 2006 and the Children’s Amendment Bill was passed by Parliament in November 2007.
The objectives of the implementation Conference are to:
- Determine South Africa’s inter-sectoral readiness to implement the Children’s Act and the implications thereof.
- Raise awareness and understanding on the Children’s Act and promote commitment to implementation.
- Agree and concur on implementation plans, best practice models and services to children.
- Agree on monitoring, evaluation and capacity building mechanisms.
All provinces will have events to mark CPW and the programme will be available on www.dsd.gov.za.
MEDIA RSVP’S CONTACT: Zingaphi Jakuja on 074 197 8383 or Zingaphim@dsd.gov.za.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRETORIA
SPOKESPERSON: LAKELA KAUNDA: lakelak@dsd.gov.za or 0827822575
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