A series of meaningful outreach activities recently took place across the Saldanha Bay municipal area to promote the protection of children.
These aimed to raise awareness of children’s rights and promote a culture of safety and well-being for all children, said Ethne Lawrence, spokesperson for the Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM).
A collaboration among various local-government departments, the police, non-governmental organisations, schools and community leaders, the outreach focused on raising awareness of child abuse and neglect as well as the importance of speaking out. School visits formed a key part of the campaign.
Key area dealt with included the importance of early intervention, recognising the signs of abuse, addressing bullying and safeguarding children from all forms of harm, whether physical, emotional or sexual. A strong emphasis was placed on the message that child protection is everyone’s responsibility, and lasting community involvement is crucial for creating safer spaces for our children.
Joey Pieters, coordinator of the Saldanha Bay Safety Initiative, said “as the campaign draws to a close stakeholders have reaffirmed their commitment to ma-king child protection an ongoing priority in our communities.”
Community members are encouraged to invite the SBM’s Public Safety Awareness Unit for more awareness and educational programmes. To collaborate with the outreach team or more information please contact Principal Inspector Enveretha Miggel on 022 701 6995 during office hours.
