Protecting the Northern Cape young and most vulnerable took centre stage during Child Protection Week which was held from the 28 May 2017 until the 4 June 2017.

The Provincial event took place in Pixley Ka Seme district at St. Johns Primary School in De Aar on the 3 June 2017.  The week-long campaign was used to raise awareness to raise the profile of children and to mobilise community action and to respond to the breaches of child protection. The week awakened the awareness that extends beyond the seven days.

The keynote address was done by the Emthanjeni District Mayor, Ms Kibi. She emphasised that families and communities are the core of our society. Therefore the main aim of the Child Protection Week campaign is to strengthen families and communities to play a role in identifying children that need support earlier and linking them with appropriate services provided by government and community based organisations. Services such as ensuring that they enrolled in Early Childhood Centres are imperative. ECDs are the platforms on which we build the foundation to quality education.

The highlight of the Child Protection Week was when Chief Director: Social Welfare Services, Ms Kivedo, and her team handed out school bags and party packs Mthuthuzeli and Ekhaya La Bantu ECDs that brought so much joy to the children they didn't even feel the cold; there was just jubilation and excitement.

The week ended off with Children dialogues, which were conducted in Pixley Ka Seme district. The purpose of the dialogues is to put the children at the forefront of change, create opportunity for children to understand, discuss, decide and act on issues affecting their lives and provide opportunity to local authorities to listen and understand children's concerns and decisions.  The overall objective of the dialogues will be to establish children's perspective of what the challenges they experience as young people are and how they think these could be addressed. 
  

By Moss Tyuthuza