National Child Protection Week (27 May to 3 June) is commemorated annually in South Africa to promote the awareness of children’s rights as per the Children’s Act of 2005. Reducing the high levels of violence against children is among South Africa’s most overwhelming tasks. Children who grow up in fear will never trust adults or develop the clear boundaries that they need for healthy psychological and social development. The reality is furthermore that child abuse is not limited to certain sectors of our society. It affects ALL social, economic and ethnic levels and channeling funding towards positive outcomes is becoming an urgent priority.

There are currently 18.6 million children living in South Africa and the statistics tell a harrowing tale of a struggle for survival:

• 56% of children live in households beneath the poverty line with an income of less than R635 per month.
• More than 50% of children are subjected to violence.
• Only 44% of all sexual assault cases against children are reported to the SAPS.
• 34.8% of children in SA are subjected to physical abuse.
• 65% of South African children do not live with their biological parents.
• 3 children are murdered in South Africa daily.

The total productivity loss in the country attributable to physical and emotional violence is R25.2 billion and R9.6 billion respectively.

Sources:
The Optimus Study on Child Abuse, Violence and Neglect in South Africa (2015).
Save the Children: “The Social and Economic Burden of Violence against children.”

What are the Causes?

• The diminished status of the child – parent relationships and a general tolerance of violence in society contributes to a general acceptance of violence against children as widely accepted and considered as a natural part of life.
• Poor parenting, including absent or abusive fathers; mothers abusing alcohol during pregnancy, failed paternal relationships and family attachments, poor child supervision and stress that primary child caregivers experience increase the likelihood of child maltreatment.
• Violent crimes, including drug dealing and gangsterism
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Poverty and unemployment

Badisa in Partnership with the Department of Social Development

Badisa is a social services association, registered as a nonprofit organisation (NPO 011-891) at the NPO Directorate of the Department of Social Development and has also obtained group registration as a Public Benefit Organisation at the SA Revenue Services (PBO 930 006 348). In order to provide social services, Badisa receives some funding from the Department of Social Development but also runs various proactive projects aimed at prevention and intervention, which requires urgent funding.

The 2016/2017 statistics show that Badisa has provided child protection services to 23 977 children of which 657 were abused, 511 were sexually abused and 2 235 neglected over a period of one year It also includes 171 street children, 493 abandoned children and 422 orphans. Of the above cases, 3 452 relate to inadequate parenting.

Badisa statistics for 2016/7

The Badisa programmes that are rendering these child protection services are now in need of financial resources in order to provide for the overwhelming demand.

The Government subsidy only covers 70% of the overall expenditure of the Badisa social work programmes in 2017, leaving them with a 30% shortfall virtually threatening their continued existence. These programmes are unable to pay market-related salaries to their social workers and they have little resources for vehicles, equipment, associated programme costs as well as safety and security measures.

The need forthe children’s foundation of Badisa

In order to improve their access to funding aimed specifically at child protection services, Badisa has now established the Badisa Children Foundation NPC, as an independent entity that is easily identifiable for the specific purpose of raising funds for children in need.

Badisa is exempted from income tax and has approval in terms of Section 18A (1) (a) of the Income Tax Act, 58 of 1962. This PBO group registration includes 153 programmes, with diverse focuses ranging from elderly care, disability care, child protection and substance abuse programmes.

Regardless of which particular programme/s a donor might be interested in supporting, the donation must currently be made to the umbrella BADISA body, which will by virtue of its ‘group registration’ issue the donor with a section 18A certificate before Badisa channels the donation to the programme/s in question for which it is intended.

Some donors would prefer, however, that their donations should go directly to an entity that focuses solely on child protection – therefore, the need to launch the Badisa Children’s Foundation.

The Badisa Children Foundation NPC (2017/528019/08) is a registered non-profit company that is established as a funding vehicle to raise funds for child protection services rendered by Badisa. This company is also registered as a non-profit organisation, NPO 203-802, at the Directorate for Non-profit Organisations at the National Department of Social Development. They have also applied to SARS for approval as a public benefit organisation and to be granted section 18A tax benefits.

Companies or individuals that are interested to channel funding to the NPC can contact Annemarie Bezuidenhout on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..