07 Feb 2023

Defilement cases that go unreported are a cause for concern.

Speaking at the National Children’s Council (NCC) retreat and induction in Maun on Monday, the acting chairperson of the council, Kgosi George Thwane said some families of child victims colluded with perpetrators to conceal the abuse.

This, he said, was a criminal offence, adding both the perpetrator and the family members who advanced the interests of criminals at the expense of a child were liable.

Kgosi Thwane highlighted that children’s rights should take precedence at all times. 

“We need to report any cases or suspicions of child abuse in our families or communities because at times children get confused after suffering abuse not knowing where to go or whom to talk to,” he said.

He said it was imperative to create a child-friendly environment to allow them to grow and reach their full potential.

He spoke strongly against cultural practices that fuelled child abuse such as child marriages, stressing that no child was mature enough to consent for marriage or sexual relations.

He called on all dikgosi across the country to stand firm and speak against cultural practices that contravened children’s rights.

He said the national council needed support from all stakeholders to carry out its mandate of ensuring children’s rights were protected.

Kgosi Thwane said it was befitting for the outreach to be held in Maun, as the Ngamiland was one of the districts where child abuse was very prevalent.

The deputy director in the Department of Social Protection, Ms Ellen Kgotlhang revealed that Botswana had ratified conventions on the protection of children’s rights as a testimony of the country’s commitment to protecting them.

Ms Kgotlhang noted the alarming rise in the number of children being sexually violated, especially by those they trusted, calling on stakeholders to pledge to protect every child.

She said resolutions drawn from the retreat would help the council to formulate its impending five- year strategic plan. Ends