Pretoria - Save the Children South Africa has welcomed government's call to join forces with various stakeholders in the quest to protect the country's children by investing in them.
"During this Child Protection week, Save the Children in South Africa, takes this opportunity to reassure government of its commitment to support them in their continuing efforts to fulfil the rights of all children in this country... They are, after all, our greatest resource," said Neven Hendricks, chairperson of the board of Save the Children South Africa.
On Sunday, President Jacob Zuma launched Child Protection Week in Galeshewe, Kimberley, where he called on government, civil society and business to work together to protect children.
Twelve million children out of a child population of 18 million are living in poverty in South Africa.
Hendricks said that social protection for children could be achieved by making sure all vulnerable children received social security and had access to social services to make sure they were protected from hunger and violence.
Save the Children also congratulated government for reaching 10.3 million vulnerable children with the child support grant, saying that it was the most comprehensive poverty alleviation programme that had been embarked on in recent years by the state.
"Investing in children takes this further by linking social security to adequate nutrition and healthcare, and helping children to access a quality education. Research has demonstrated the positive link between grant access and the well-being of the child as measured by improved nutrition, school attendance and access to health," said Hendricks.
However, the organisation noted that two million or 17 percent of eligible children were not reached largely due to a lack of documentation such as birth certificates for children and identity documents for caregivers.
"The child support grant is the foundation of social security but must be part of a comprehensive package that will be able to protect poor children and their families, together with social service interventions, particularly focusing on the restoration of the family and access to quality health [care] and education," Hendricks said.
He stressed that the issue of violence against children was unacceptable and needed to be addressed.
"Violence against children in schools and communities poses a real threat to their development and denies children the protection they deserve and the opportunity to fulfil their potential... This is unacceptable."
