16 Jun 2019

Child protection should start at a family level because family is the first foundation of child development.

Speaking during the African Child commemoration, Francistown High Court’s Justice Lot Moroka said family must ensure a standard of living adequate for the mental, physical, spiritual and moral development of the child.

He noted that development of the African child was often hampered by the triple challenges of unstable families, poor governance and conflict.

“The administration is concerned with the rate at which families’ breakdown in Botswana,” he said.

Judge Moroka added that divorces often had a devastating effects on the welfare of the children.

On one hand, he said the world was entering a fourth industrial revolution and for Botswana to benefit from the revolution, its children must be prepared to face the challenges ahead.

For his part, Councilor Lesego Kwambala of Ikageng ward said the day was meant to reflect on the progress made towards realisation of children’s rights in Africa.  

He noted that it was vital to call for the preservation and respect of children’s rights and that humanitarian action was faced with a serious problem as at most times they were offered at the expense of the children.

Cllr Kwambala said not safeguarding the rights of the children would make the nation to raise angry children hence Africa would not find peace.

Deputy town clerk, Mr Lawrence Mokotedi, said one of the objectives was to evaluate the progress made by Botswana in escalating effort towards protecting children’s rights.

He said it was also meant to advocate for deliberate action by all stakeholders towards the realization of children’s rights. ENDS