As the Nation marks the Child Protection Week, 27 May – 02 June, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda has called on all the residents of eThekwini to use this year’s Child Protection Week to protect children from the scourge of the COVID 19 pandemic and beyond.
Themed “ Working Together to Protect Children, the Child Protection Week is commemorated annually to raise awareness of the rights of children as articulated in the Children's Act of 2005.
Mayor Kaunda said the devastating effects of COVID 19 pandemic has prevented many families from earning a living so that they can feed children.
“WE are all aware that stress as a result of economic adversity results to violence against children and it is for this reason that as part of the COVID19 Food Relief Programme, the Municipality took a conscious decision to prioritise child-headed homes when handing food parcels and vouchers. And as schools are preparing to re-open and in protecting our leaners from contracting the virus, as one of the preventative measures, the Municipality has committed to assist the Department of Basic Education by supply schools with water, and those schools that have been disconnected will be reconnected,” said Kaunda.
Mayor Kaunda also said that reports by the Bulletin of the World Health Organisation that the South African child homicide rate of 5.5 per 100,000 children is significantly higher than the global average were a cause for concern.
“ Family is the first line of protection for children from abuse and homicide. It also takes a village to raise a child and we call upon civil society organisations such and the Men’s Forum and many others to be in the forefront in waging the war against any form of abuse directed to children,” added Kaunda.