There have been gaps in protecting children during the lockdown period, writes Ephraim Sithole.

The lockdown period has brought many challenges in terms of child protection and child rights violations.

Civil society and other child protection organisations, including the Department of Social Development, work directly in our communities. They were among the few agencies able to continue operating during the hard lockdown; they have reported an uptake in reported cases of children either witnessing the abuse of caregivers by a spouse, and or sexual and physical abuse of these children. There are concerns that most cases are not reported to the police due to the lockdown, and fear of continued abuse if reported, thus reducing the reported cases.

Prevention and awareness campaigns on child protection and children’s rights, as well as reporting and responding to child abuse and gender-based violence should now be our primary focus, as the past few months were focused on Covid-19 hygiene, care and safety. We need to strengthen child protection by ensuring we check in on children and families - emotional support is key.

Increase in cases 

The lack of access to external care and support services (such as schools, aftercare, nannies which provide temporary relief to both primary caregivers and children) during this period has had an impact on the increase in reported cases.

This reduction in social, emotional and physical relief for caregivers, children and youth can lead to increased stress levels and outbursts, resulting in mental and emotional distress of both the caregiver and the child. This can lead to increased risk of abuse and violations of children’s rights.

The mandate for all to stay at home to flatten the curve had an impact on the following:

• Physical, social and mental lockdown in the same household with an emotionally, physically abusive parent, partner, caregiver and/or a child or youth who may be on substances. The inability to get relief increased frustrations in the home and could increase the risk of abuse;
• Lack of access to resources such as support structures – support groups, peer support and access to family member support, educators or police services is also a risk factor causing child protection or child rights violations, as this has limited the access to reporting personnel and support services;
• An increase in the use of alcohol and substances during this period;
• Confined spaces, especially in disadvantaged communities, where family members share a small household that is restrictive of privacy and spaces to mentally distance from stress;
• In the context of child and youth care centres, and other alternative child care settings such as foster care, one primary caregiver could be locked down with children of varying ages, varying abusive backgrounds and behaviour challenges, all confined together, which can increase social and emotional stress and increase the risk of abuse and violation of rights.

 The biggest challenges facing children in disadvantaged communities regarding child protection include:

• Lack of or reduced supervision due to either caregivers being at work (essential services or informal trading) or caregivers unable to supervise consistently as children are not at school;
• Lack of access to food due to parents and caregivers not being able to work to earn an income, and/or closure of school feeding programmes and early childhood development centres which would ordinarily supplement the children’s daily meals;
• Lack of access to social and physical relief from family circumstance, e.g. school, support centres.

When I’m asked if enough is being done to protect children during this period, I think that many efforts were made by government and civil society to ensure access to basic rights such as food, clean water and awareness of abuse.

However, there may be gaps in awareness around parenting skills, emotional wellness and support training for caregivers and workshops for children to ensure they understand their rights and responsibilities to keep themselves and their neighbours safe and protected during these Covid times.

With the reopening of sectors of the economy for parents/caregivers to return to work, there is a new risk as some schools and crèches, and aftercare facilities remain closed.

It is the forgotten children, who are sometimes left at home alone and unattended, as most parents do not have access to aftercare and home care services for their children as they return to work. The complexity of the situation to mitigate the spread of the virus through easing school opening, and also increase economic activity and family financial stability, is potentially placing these forgotten children by government policy at risk. The need for rights-based advocacy and support by the civil society is important.

Transactional sex

Because of the loss of livelihoods, especially in low-income households, some children may be forced into income-generating activities to support their families.

In addition, school closure have stopped the provision of school meals and sanitary towels, which children from disadvantaged families rely on significantly.

This raises the risk of young girls engaging in transactional sex in order to gain, not only access to these essential needs, but also to support their families. 

There is evidence that links poverty, lack of family support, and transactional sex.  

Some of these pregnancies could be because of sexual violence, which was projected to rise during lockdown.

Rising cases of Covid-19 also put a strain on the healthcare system, leading to disrupted healthcare services, deprioritisation of sexual/reproductive health services, anda  shortage of contraceptives and essential drugs.  ll these could lead to a rise in cases of teenage pregnancies.

Awareness and prevention campaigns about child protection and broad-based gender-based violence is now critical.

- Ephraim Sithole, National Child Safeguarding Officer, SOS Children’s Villages South Africa.

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