Blog – Children

Children – Blog

Summary of the SaferSpaces Online Conference: Preventing Violence in South Africa - From policy making to evidence-based implementation

In a series of webinars on the 7th and 8th of June, we drew from the existing evidence, experience and expertise of the civil society, academia and government sector in the prevention of violence and discussed how this could be utilised for the evidence-based implementation of the most relevant South African safety policy frameworks.

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Ambassadors for Youth Resilience
25 Feb 2021 | by Dambisa Dube
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The war on women and children in South Africa
15 Oct 2020 | by Kammila Naidoo

The family is the site of extremely violent incidents in South African society—particularly involving women and children. What can the state do?

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Africa’s children deserve justice and protection
22 Jun 2020 | by Jude Thaddeus Njikem | Sonke Gender Justice

Every child has a right to education, best attainable standards of health, and protection from abuse, torture and labour which interfere with the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development. However, Covid-19 has had an adverse effect on the rights and welfare of children in Africa. For many children who now stay at home, other impending risks include harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and being forced into early (child) marriage. Domestic and sexual violence also continue to be a significant concern.

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More Than a Game: Soccer-Based Health Programming for Adolescent Boys and Young Men
30 Nov 2018 | by Alison Clowes, Chris Barkley, Mbulelo Malotana and Jenn Warren | Grassroot South Africa

As we celebrate 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, it is important to acknowledge that entrenched gender norms in South Africa create an environment in which gender-based violence is acceptable, and even worse, normalised. They inhibit effective implementation of laws intended to address violence against women and girls. It is therefore ever more important to engage adolescent boys and young men in the promotion of gender-equitable attitudes and norms, and influence their behaviours positively.

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South Africa is at war with itself

South African society is becoming more, not less, violent. This was confirmed by the 2017/18 crime statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) yesterday. Violence affects all South Africans, with the greatest impact on people who are black and poor. Young black men have the highest chance of being murdered. But violence against children and women is at the root of this problem. The effects on individuals are long term – children who grow up in violent households are more likely to use or become victims of violence later in life.

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Killing of women and children sees massive increase in SAPS crime statistics
11 Sep 2018 | by Institute for Security Studies

Police, on Tuesday 11 September, reported the killing of women increased 11% in the year to end March 2018, with 20% more boys (under 18 years) murdered compared to the previous 12 months.

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Ulutsha Street Festival 2018: “Stop Violence against Children and Women!”
23 Jul 2018 | by Jessie Bohr | GIZ South Africa

The Ulutsha Street Festival 2018 turned out to be an ideal family event on a typical windy winter day in Port Elizabeth. This year’s Festival once again highlighted how public spaces can be transformed into positive spaces for recreation and social interaction. Further, the Festival demonstrated how festivals can be used as both recreational opportunities as well as opportunities to raise awareness on key social issues, such as gender-based violence and violence against children.

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How prioritising education in South Africa can prevent violence
02 May 2018 | by Cassidy Parker, ISS Consultant

The Seven Passes Initiative shows how supporting children with schoolwork creates a better society.

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