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By Joseph Monaheng 
 
The Gauteng Department of Health Clinical Forensic Medical Services today hosted the annual Child Protection Week event to raise awareness on the rights of children at Sapphire Secondary School in Bophelong, Sedibeng District. 
 
Among others, the event was aimed at promoting the culture of respect for children's rights thus ensuring that all children grow up in an environment that is safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation. 
 
And on the day, different stakeholders came together to educate learners about various societal ills such as bullying, gangsterism, human trafficking, teenage pregnancy and sexual assault. 
 Since the start of this year's Child Protection Week (30 May - 06 June 2021), Clinical Forensic Medical Services unit has been conducting awareness campaigns at different schools on issues relating to children's rights and safety in partnership with other stakeholders  that are mandated to protect children's rights.

Delivering the keynote address, Portfolio Committee Coordinator in the Office of the Health MEC Mr Serame Matsile said the emergence of COVID-19 has further aggravated the challenges of child abuse society has been trying to alleviate.
 "According to the UNICEF report named "Violence against children in the time of COVID-19", the massive job losses that we observed during the pandemic is directly linked to child abuse, particularly psychological and physical mistreatment."
 "Economic instability, job losses, unemployment and debt has placed substantial strain on family relationships, therefore the risk for abuse of children increases severely as stress accumulates," said Matsile.
He further added that lockdown regulations like restricting people's movement have left children in the hands of abusers, without a safer environment that school would normally provide.
"In light of the above, we must renew our concerted efforts to find logical solutions to child abuse, within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to find ways of safeguarding children from violence, exploitation and abuse."
 "This calls for government and active civil society to intensify comprehensive social interventions to educate and empower teens and young adults,  invest in mental health and psychosocial support services," Matsile concluded