Child Protection Week launches in Western Cape
Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, will launch Child Protection Week in Langa in the Western Cape this afternoon.
Deputy Director-General of the Social Development Department, Connie Nxumalo, says the annual initiative seeks to raise awareness and educate communities about the rights and responsibilities of children.
She says this year the department will also reflect on what the country they has achieved in terms of curbing violence against children.
"What we did for this area, Langa, in the Western Cape is we conducted dialogues with children just to find out from them - what are the issues that are troubling them and what is it that the government and the community can do to protect them and make sure they grow up in a safe environment where they become adults that can contribute to society," she said.
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Meanwhile, the KZN Network on Violence Against Women and Children says there needs to be more than just conversation about the scourge in violence and deaths of women and children, that the country is facing.
The network's Cookie Edwards says all men are responsible to bringing light to and preventing these attacks.
"There are men who have no respect for women - who are murdering these young girls. We have good men, these good men need to stand up. Men in South Africa are supposed to be the gatekeepers to every community," she said.