Campaign activists in Kwa Zulu Natal (South Africa) celebrated the adoption of the Child Justice Bill by the South African Parliament by hosting a dinner at Student YMCA.
Young campaigners and representatives from a number of organisations who, along with the YMCA, had lobbied for the reintroduction of the Bill, including NICRO, the Centre for Public Participation and Street Children Alliance, attended the event.
During the dinner, discussions were held on how to make sure the new measures included in the Bill are respected. Concerns were also raised about a potential government ‘street clean-up’ initiative ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where it is thought large numbers of street children could be put behind bars in an attempt to get them off the streets.
It was agreed that part of the fight for youth justice involved raising young people’s own awareness of their rights and the promises made in the Bill. This provoked the diners to commit to sharing the contents of the Bill with schools and youth organisations, as well as parents and guardians.
The Child Justice Bill makes it possible to uphold the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child through domestic law. The Bill has brought in many changes, which include establishing a youth court. The Bill has raised the age of criminal responsibility from seven to ten years old and incorporates restorative justice and ‘Ubuntu’ - a humanistic, holistic approach to social relations based on African traditions.
Funded by the European Commission
