The Department of Social Development has launched the week-long campaign in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. This coming week marks National Child Protection Week in South Africa.
This year, the focus will be on teenage pregnancy which saw a spike, during the Covid-19 period, of teenagers giving birth in 2021.
The National Child Protection Week (CPW) is observed in South Africa annually to raise awareness about the rights of children as articulated in the Children’s Act of 2005.
Speaking to the SABC during the launch, Deputy Minister for Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu says adult men are mainly responsible for teenage pregnancies.
“I don’t know whether I must say let’s protect children, maybe I must start by saying let’s respect children because when you respect somebody you have the energy to actually protect them. I really need to say this, it is older men who are responsible for making these girls pregnant. Half of them have families and half of them know that they’ve got money to flash and big cars. I call them the 4ms, I call them “mature mobile men with money” are my problem,” says Bogopane-Zulu.
Video| South Africa marks National Child Protection Week: Gugu Xaba
