Africa-Press – Botswana. Moshaweng Child Protection Committee has been encouraged to actively and passionately protect children’s rights to guarantee them a secure future. Senior Welfare Officer for Letlhakeng, Ms Thato Chipuka, shared the sentiments during a training session for the Moshaweng Child Protection Committee.
She warned that cases involving violations of children’s rights should not be resolved privately at home but must be reported to the relevant authorities to ensure justice was served.
Ms Chipuka said the Village Child Protection Committee was crucial in safeguarding children’s lives, ensuring their rights were respected, enabling them to lead dignified lives. She said child protection was the responsibility of the entire community, and thus it was the committee’s obligation to educate the community about child protection issues and relevant laws.
Ms Chipuka said a well-informed community on child rights and protection was easier to collaborate or work with, emphasising that the committee could not accomplish its mission in isolation without community involvement.
Ms Chipuka emphasised that committee members must be trustworthy adding that individuals convicted of violating children’s rights or perpetrators of gender-based violence should never be allowed to serve in the committee.
She highlighted that the Children’s Act outlined parental rights and responsibilities, including the right to education, stating that all children of school going age should attend school.
Ms Chipuka said the act also guaranteed the right to good health. She further explained that children should live in a safe environment and receive parental love.
She said offences outlined in section 56 of the Act included child neglect, ill-treatment, cruel punishment, and selling drugs to children. In addition to threats and abuse posed by exposure to and use technological gadgets, she said parents should ensure their children were not exposed to activities that could harm their development.
She said section 43 of the Act empowered any adult to immediately report cases of children’s rights violations as failure to do so may lead to legal consequences, and if found guilty, one may be liable to a fine of over P5,000 but not exceeding P10,000.
A guidance and counseling teacher at Moshaweng Primary School, Ms Lorato Tselakgosi, said the school continued to record a high number of child neglect cases, contributing to a significant rate of dropouts.
Ms Tselakgosi said some parents left their children without care while engaging in farm activities and in some cases some find refuge in social welfare officers.
Kgosi Kedisaletse Magano challenged committee members to stand up, protect children’s rights and secure their future.
Outlining the objectives of the workshop, Assistant Welfare Officer at Moshaweng, Ms Dimpho Kobua said establishing the Village Child Protection Committee was a significant step in responding to and safeguarding children’s rights and futures. He added that the training would help committee members better handle issues relating to the preservation of children’s rights, with particular attention to matters of confidentiality.
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