ActionSA Women’s Forum is appalled by yet another alleged rape of a minor, this time an 11-year-old child at Majazana informal settlement in Johannesburg. The 11-year-old is currently in hospital being treated for multiple sexually transmitted diseases. We’re hopeful that the child will recover and that the perpetrators are brought to book.
As the adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child and this includes men, who form part of this village of raising children, but in this case and many others, the village failed in its duty.
As ActionSA Women’s Forum, we stand firm in the belief that raising a child is not just the responsibility of a mother or guardians, but of the whole society. Therefore, whoever witnessed or was aware of anything wrong with the child should have rung an alarm, whether a parent, guardian, neighbours or teachers. We are communal beings and therefore, families, neighbours, institutions, and leaders ought to come together to protect, guide, and empower the young and vulnerable amongst us.
This is very disheartening, and we are compelled to ask, where is the watchful eye of the village, the outstretched hand of support, and the united voice that demands safety and opportunity for every child? Very often, we find that the village has grown silent, fragmented, or complacent, as we have seen with the sad stories of Cwecwe and Precious. We cannot allow our children to slip through the cracks of neglect, violence, and indifference.
The village must be reawakened. It must reclaim its role as the fortress that guards its young. This means holding institutions accountable when they tail to protect our children. It means neighbours and families working in unity to create safe and nurturing environments. It means challenging societal norms that perpetuate harm and building a culture of care, vigilance, and justice.
ActionSA Women’s Forum calls on every individual and every institution to be the village our children so desperately need. Let us stand together to ensure that no child is left to suffer alone, that no cry for help goes unanswered, and that our communities once again become places of hope, security, and belonging.
The time to act is now. Let us rebuild the village — stronger, louder, and more committed than ever before. Our children deserve nothing less.
ActionSA Women’s Forum Calls for Rebuilding the Village to Protect Our Children Against Abuse
ActionSA Women’s Forum is appalled by yet another alleged rape of a minor, this time an 11-year-old child at Majazana informal settlement in Johannesburg. The 11-year-old is currently in hospital being treated for multiple sexually transmitted diseases. We’re hopeful that the child will recover and that the perpetrators are brought to book.
As the adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child and this includes men, who form part of this village of raising children, but in this case and many others, the village failed in its duty.
As ActionSA Women’s Forum, we stand firm in the belief that raising a child is not just the responsibility of a mother or guardians, but of the whole society. Therefore, whoever witnessed or was aware of anything wrong with the child should have rung an alarm, whether a parent, guardian, neighbours or teachers. We are communal beings and therefore, families, neighbours, institutions, and leaders ought to come together to protect, guide, and empower the young and vulnerable amongst us.
This is very disheartening, and we are compelled to ask, where is the watchful eye of the village, the outstretched hand of support, and the united voice that demands safety and opportunity for every child? Very often, we find that the village has grown silent, fragmented, or complacent, as we have seen with the sad stories of Cwecwe and Precious. We cannot allow our children to slip through the cracks of neglect, violence, and indifference.
The village must be reawakened. It must reclaim its role as the fortress that guards its young. This means holding institutions accountable when they tail to protect our children. It means neighbours and families working in unity to create safe and nurturing environments. It means challenging societal norms that perpetuate harm and building a culture of care, vigilance, and justice.
ActionSA Women’s Forum calls on every individual and every institution to be the village our children so desperately need. Let us stand together to ensure that no child is left to suffer alone, that no cry for help goes unanswered, and that our communities once again become places of hope, security, and belonging.
The time to act is now. Let us rebuild the village — stronger, louder, and more committed than ever before. Our children deserve nothing less.