DO MORE FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY

The inconsistent reactions against the recent horrifying abuse and killings of young children is quite disturbing. Once away from a guardian’s eye, children are now at a very high risk daily.

We can surely do better as a society. It starts with us and it is our inherent duty to ensure children are in a safer place in this world.
I am no child protection and safety expert, but as a concerned member of society, I just think we really need to act on such cases, even if they may seem far from us.

Today you may not be affected but tomorrow it may be closer to you, if such evil practices in society are left to continue unabated. Wrong must not be allowed to be the norm.

practices

The media has done a sterling job in bringing to the fore the rot that is happening in our communities and exposing the risks that children are exposed to daily. It is now up to society to adopt a unified responsible approach against such demeaning practices.

Last week’s front-page story on the Swazi News suggested that a teenage girl was being taken advantage of by adults in drinking spots.
These are the same adults you would think should be providing the child food, shelter and protection instead of exploiting her already vulnerable situation. To think that there is a man who could consider taking advantage of such a child is disheartening. If they could not assist her, the least they could do is not abuse her.

In the Bible, when a beggar approached Peter for money, he responded by saying, while he may not have money to help but he did offer him prayer. And he prayed that he be healed.
In today’s society it is sad that some evil people may consider exploiting the poor man’s situation. You cannot kick a man while he is down.
The least you can do is offer him a hand up.

Similarly with these abandoned children seeking just a meal, at least offer them what you can, do not worsen their situation.
Over the past week we also learnt of the heartbreaking story of the two murdered teenagers from Nkwalini. That incident is every guardian’s nightmare. The same community, society we expect to be responsible for the safety of our children, turns out to have within it a suspect who is capable of harming them.

Recently, a disgusting story of a teenage boy who raped three young vulnerable girls in Mbabane surfaced.
I cannot even begin to think what goes on in an abuser’s mind if anything meaningful does at all.

mitigation

A child is by nature programmed to see an adult as a person of safety and it is disappointing to read of these countless incidents where they are doing the converse.

The news of the alleged killer of the two teenagers being suspected to have fled to South Africa is also quite sad. He needs to face up to his despicable behaviour.
Bob Marley, yes the reggae poet, once noted, “You are running away but you cannot run away from yourself.” So the sooner he hands himself in (hopefully by the time you read this he has) the better.
But all said and done, what can we do?

Yes we seem to be failing our children in terms of showing them that this world is a safe place, but how can we remedy this? It is clear we cannot be at every place at every time, so how can we keep tabs of their safety and whereabouts?
So how can we keep our children safe in today’s modern world? No tool or device will keep your children safe 100 per cent of the time, but there are a few things you can do to mitigate the risks according to parenting.com.

The experts suggest the importance of taking time to talk to your children about safety and abduction is a form of prevention. Sounds strange and complex I know, but through such conversations on safety tips like never talking to strangers and always keeping the door locked if alone, you can help prevent an abduction.

One of the most recurring but neglected safety tips is to create and give each child a laminated ID card with his or her name, date of birth, address, phone numbers on it. If your child is too young to speak for himself or herself, consider writing this information somewhere on his or her clothing in permanent marker.

amusement

This helps should the child be found abandoned somewhere by strangers to be able to immediately call you to fetch the child or if the child is taken to a police station, police can be able to track the guardians.

One other important thing is if for example, you are out at a park with your child and for a second you lose track, you must ensure that they know that place’s emergency hot spots.

At a playground, amusement park or any other crowded location, always identify the nearest help and information centers, emergency stations and police posts. Inform your children where to go and what to do in an emergency or if they get lost.

Obviously all these are non-exhaustive and the most important thing is for society to be more caring and on the lookout for children’s safety.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also attests to that; “Friends, neighbours, families and adults can all play a part in creating a safe community.

Children need to understand how to avoid risky situations and where to go for help and protection.”Let’s do more for the nation’s future and help fortify their protection.

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