Chairperson, Deputy President, hon members, distinguished guests, children and caregivers in the gallery, this year's International Children's Day theme of the United Nations, UN, is, "All Rights, All Children".
The background to International Children's Day can be traced to the World Conference for the Well-being of Children held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1925. The first official International Children's Day was celebrated in 1954, upon the recommendation of the UN General Assembly that all countries should observe and institute a Universal Children's Day.
The day was to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity for children and for promoting activities devoted to the ideals and objectives of the declaration of the rights of the child worldwide. The UN Assembly proposed that governments should observe the day on the date each country considers appropriate for itself, and 1 June was popular for most countries of the world.
In South Africa, 1 June coincides with National Child Protection week, which is an annual campaign running from 24 May to 1 June. The campaign was first launched in 1997. Child Protection Week highlights the rights of children and ensures that they are placed as a priority in each department and organisation's agenda.
Therefore, the child protection system should strive to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation through accessible and co- ordinated services, and a response based on a multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach. In 2010, the campaign was launched by President Jacob Zuma on 21 May, together with the launch of the Children's Act under the theme of celebrating the Fifa World Cup legacy for children.
Internationally, children's rights are protected under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention reaffirms that because of children's vulnerability, they need special care and protection. It places special emphasis on the primary caring and protective responsibility of the family; the need for legal and other protection of the child before and after birth; and the importance of respect for the cultural values of the child's community and the vital role of international co-operation in securing children's rights.
The following has been achieved. Child survival and development: worldwide deaths of children less than five years old decreased from 12,5 million in 1990 to less than 9 million in 2008. This was achieved through immense efforts to prevent and control disease, enhance food security and provide integrated health services. Advocacy on child protection issues has increased markedly, and UN special representatives have been appointed on key issues such as armed conflict and violence against children. The drive for education has also intensified with an estimated 84% of children of primary school age currently attending school. This has reduced gender gaps in primary school enrolment. Though the above paints a positive picture, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are well behind other regions on most human development indicators. Their progress on primary health care and education still lags behind and affects progress in attaining the agreed developmental goals.
The ANC supports the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the supporting plan of action. The ANC believes that the convention and the plan of action must work to protect the lives of children, promote the full development of their human potential, and make them aware of their needs, rights and opportunities. The needs of children must be paramount throughout all programmes aimed at meeting basic needs and socioeconomic upliftment.
The ANC believes that the welfare of children is a priority. In this regard, the ANC government must develop, monitor and measure tools that define and deal with child poverty. Within this context, the best interests of the child are paramount, with child-headed households as a priority for protection and care.
In order to assist with abject poverty, provisions such as free health care and immunisation to children under the age of six will be strengthened to benefit the poor. The massification of the registration of children eligible for the child support grant has long been undertaken and has had positive results in dealing with poverty.
The continued development of a comprehensive strategy on early childhood Development must ensure that we strengthen child development centres, and urge communities to understand and deal seriously with the rights of children.
Ake ngicaphune ebhukwini le-Unicef, elicacisa ngesimo somntwana okhandlekile. Likhuluma ngomntwana ohamba indlela ende kakhulu mhlawumbe amakhilomitha amahlanu kuya kwalishumi ngaphambi kokuba afike esikoleni: "Uvuka ekuseni kade elele ecansini eselugugile elihlabayo; ulala emkhukwini obandayo ongenisa umoya nemvula uma lina izulu; uzovuka angafaki lutho esiswini ngoba ikati lilele eziko; aphinde aqale enze imisebenzi yasekhaya; uma esefika esikoleni ufundela ngaphansi kwesihlahla; uhlezi phansi emhlabathini; bayiqoqo elikhulu okwenza ukufunda kungabi lula; ushoki wokubhala kuyenzeka uthisha angabi nawo kanye naye umntwana akanalo ipeni lokubhala nezincwadi kazikho.
Konke lokhu esengikubalulile kungacishe kufaniswe nephupho noma nensumansumane kwabanye abantu. Yizo kanye izinkinga uhulumeni wethu azama ukuhlangabezana nazo. Nakuba singencome, sincincize nokho kuningi osekwenziwe uhulumeni wethu. Kuningi futhi okusadinga ukwenziwa. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.) [Let me quote from Unicef's book, which clarifies the plight of an overburdened child. It talks about a child who walks a very long distance which could be about five to ten kilometres before reaching school. He or she wakes up in the morning after sleeping on an old prickly grass mat; he or she sleeps in a cold shack which allows in wind and rain if it is raining; he or she will wake up without eating because there is no food; he or she starts the day by doing household chores; upon arriving at school he or she, learns under a tree; he or she sits on the ground, as part of a big group which makes learning difficult; sometimes the teacher does not have chalk for writing and the child does not have a pen for writing and there are no books.
All that which I have mentioned can nearly be likened to a dream or a folk- tale to other people. These are the very problems our government is trying to address.]
With regard to schooling, affordability, disability or social conditions must not deny children access to education. The provision of nutrition programmes to children at primary school level has been extended. These programmes must result in effective utilisation of nutrition schemes and projects. The methods of recovery of outstanding school fees must ensure that no child is denied access to a school on the basis of his or her parent's financial status.
The current safety nets that deal with child poverty, ongoing murders, disappearance, abuse and neglect must be strengthened. In this regard, the improved services that will be provided by the reconfigured family protection units are critical. Orphans and children in distress should ideally be provided for by family members or in their communities, with support from government and other social institutions. In this regard, the community must play a role in protecting children. The shift from curative to preventative measures in the protection of children is a fundamental pillar of ANC policy.
This is the idea that has been practised over the centuries and current challenges within society, which are mainly economically driven, should not change this. The dialectical challenge is that in the African tradition the community takes responsibility, whilst we are aware that individuals in the very same community can pose the greatest threat to children. In order to address this, ANC policy calls for the raising of community awareness on the effects of abuse on children and the services available to assist in their protection.
The ANC government will continue to ensure that the necessary measures are taken so that children with disabilities have access to education facilities. At the same time, children with disabilities in sheltered projects must have meaningful socioeconomic opportunities so that they can be both socially and economically productive within the working environment.
The ANC's 52nd National Conference called for a greater focus on the rights of children, but noted the unacceptable levels of child poverty and abuse. The conference noted:
At the same time we need to address the challenges of crime, particularly unique features such as random violence, disrespect for human life, as well as woman and child abuse. These are in part a consequence of social conditions, gender stereotypes and negative value systems such as greed.
Violence is a reality for millions of children around the world, affecting girls and boys of all ages, from all walks of life and countries across the world. In every part of their lives, their homes, families, schools, institutions, workplaces and communities, children may be beaten, sexually assaulted, tortured and even killed. The perpetrators of this violence are often the very individuals who are responsible for protecting children, for example, parents, guardians, teachers, employers and the police. Violence is a global phenomenon of huge proportions, violating every child's right to a safe and healthy environment.
Sengikhuluma nani bantwana abahleli phezulu, nakuba siwavuma, futhi siyawahlonipha amalungelo enu, nani siyaniqwashisa ukuthi yazini futhi niqonde ukuthi nani ninomthwalo osemahlombe enu wokuzinakekela loko kuzinakekela nikuhlanganise namalungelo enu. Nani ninomthwalo wokuhlonipha ngendlela yobuntu ninodwana. Njengoba ninamalungelo okuthi niphephiswe kuko konke ukuhlukumezwa nani futhi ninomthwalo wokuqaphela ukuthi ikakhulukazi ezikoleni njengoba sike sibone kwenzeka, ningahlukumezi abanye abantwana noma abanye ozakweni. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[I'm now talking to you children who are sitting up there. Although we acknowledge and respect your rights, we are also making you aware that you must know and understand that you also have a responsibility upon your shoulders of looking after yourselves and that looking after yourselves should go hand in hand with your rights. You also have a responsibility to respect in a human way amongst yourselves. As you have rights to be safe from all types of abuse, you also have a responsibility to make sure that you do not abuse other children or your counterparts, especially at schools as we sometimes see happening.]
In South Africa, numerous cases and incidents involving the abuse, mistreatment, neglect and abandonment of children are reported. Violence meted out against children and child rape cases are still very high in South Africa. According to a study by Women and Men against Child Abuse, 45 cases of child violence were reported within 10 days in selected locations in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The study also revealed that 90% of rape cases go unreported, thus indicating a high number of children that are at risk. Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. [Thank you, Chairperson.] [Time expired.] [Applause.]