South Africa has enacted national laws, ratified regional and international instruments for the protection of these categories of children. Legal instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Constitution of Republic of South Africa 1996 (Constitution), and the Children’s Act of 2005 all protect the rights of children. In terms of Section 29(2) of the Refugees Act detention of a child must be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest period.
Despite the provisions of these various legal instruments, many children across South Africa are arbitrarily denied their protected rights during the migration processes.
As such, the Children’s Rights Unit of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in South Africa to monitor the rights of children on the move, in the country.
The two child centered entities supported by the European Union (EU) will host a workshop on Alternatives to Detention and Care Policies for Children on the Move. The workshop will explore the various care policies that exist to protect children on the move, their implementation as well as associated challenges and barriers. The workshop will create a platform for continued dialogue on the detention of children on the move, stimulate a constructive discussion on developing recommendations and possible effective solutions.
The workshop will be held as follows:
Date: 19th October 2022
Time: 10:00 – 15:00
Venue: The Indaba Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa, William Nicol Drive & Pieter Wenning Road, Johannesburg
ENDS
Issued by the South African Human Rights Commission
Wisani Baloyi – Acting Communications Coordinator Tel: 081 016 8308 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Alucia Sekgathume – External Communications Tel: 082 689 2364 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.