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Editorial
Marian Jacobs,
Director |
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The death of 12-year-old Hector Petersen at the hands of the
Apartheid security forces in Soweto in 1976 became a symbol of
children’s oppression and catalysed the child rights movement in
South Africa. Ten years ago the new democratic government responded
to children’s situation by acknowledging them as a special group
worthy of concern, and expressed its commitments to them through the
ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the
inclusion of children in the Constitutional Bill of Rights, while
addressing children’s special needs through the Reconstruction and
Development Programme.
Much progress has been made since 1994. Government has formulated
policies and programmes for children through the Departments of
Justice, Social Development, Health, Education, Sports and
Recreation, and many other departments. The judiciary has been
challenged to rule on issues affecting children, while Parliament
has drafted the Children’s Bill and other child-related legislation.
Civil society organs focusing on child rights have been revitalised,
with committed child rights advocacy groups operating throughout the
country.
Yet, the daily lives of the majority of children remain dismal.
Their basic rights to food, water, shelter and social services
remain unfulfilled; they have not yet been identified as a ‘line
item’ in the national or departmental budgets; and neither are their
voices heard, nor their opinions taken seriously. Despite a strong
legislative and policy framework, much still has to be done to
address the situation of South African children.
The decade review provides an opportunity for all duty-bearers
responsible for children’s rights – from Parliament to households –
to reflect on the progress of commitments to children made ten years
ago, and to chart a new course to ensure the further protection and
promotion of children’s rights. By harmonising the efforts of all
duty-bearers, the implementation of such a new plan should reduce
the gross inequities in the status of children and in their access
to services and care. This will ensure that we can reflect
positively on these goals when we look back at the end of the next
decade in 2014.
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