Violence against children is widespread, affecting the health,
social and psychological well-being of large numbers of
children in South Africa.1
This impacts on children’s ability
to realise their full potential throughout their life course. It has
far-reaching intergenerational consequences, with substantial
economic and social costs, emphasising the need for prevention.
Violence violates children’s rights to be protected from
maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation as enshrined in the
Constitution, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the
Child, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
(UNCRC).2
These rights place a duty on the state to take proactive
steps to prevent violence against children, and to prevent further
harm when a child has experienced violence. Unfortunately, South
Africa lacks both national empirical data on the exact magnitude
of the problem, and a limited research base on the causes and
effects of violence against children in the local context. The limited
evidence restricts an understanding of the problem, the effective
design and targeting of services, as well as an ability to use
evidence-based strategies for prevention.