27 Jul 2016

The mayor of Francistown, Ms Sylvia Muzila says the district, in partnership with its stakeholders, has made progress in teaching children about their rights and responsibilities.

Speaking at the launch of the city’s 50 minutes for children campaign on July 26, Ms Muzila said the Francistown District has also been able to establish its children consultative forum (DCCF) in 2012, and that its current chairperson also chairs the national forum.

She said the district had also managed to establish the child protection committee which coordinates government and stakeholders dealing with children issues.

Ms Muzila noted that in addition to all its initiatives, stakeholders in the district were expected to spare 50 minutes to make a difference to children’s lives.

She explained that the 50 minutes for children campaign was a joint initiative by the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in preparation for the BOT50 celebrations.

“Fifty minutes for children aims to mobilise communities, individuals, corporate organisations and policy makers to spend 50 minutes of their time doing something positive for the children of Botswana in celebration of the 50 years of independence,” she said.

She further explained that the initiative, which was launched in Gaborone in June, would run until November.

The deputy chairperson of the DCCF, Ms Botho Magaga, who is a student at Tashata secondary, noted that as future leaders children should be loved and treated with care.

She said children were faced with a lot of challenges such as sexual abuse and defilement, noting that already this year 13 rape and 27 defilement cases had been recorded in Francistown.

She lamented that apart from discrimination, rape and defilement lead to teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections such as AIDS.

“All these problems affect children physically and emotionally and leads to them living miserable lives,” she said.

A principal social welfare officer in the city council, Ms Mokgabo Mathibidi said her department would spend the 50 minutes for children intensifying teaching for both children and parents on their rights and responsibilities.

She said through the education campaign, the general perception that social welfare officers encourage child delinquency would be cleared as stakeholders would understand their roles and responsibilities better. Ends