With Human Rights Month drawing to a close, we thought it would be quite fitting to chat a little about how we here, at Top Marks, draw on the rights of the children and staff in our care. At our aftercare center, we work with respect, understanding that each individual comes with a unique story and should be treated with dignity.
Join us, as we unpack the human rights of South Africa, touch on the children’s rights of our country, and chat about how we endeavor to respect them all at Top Marks every day.
The Human Rights of South Africa
While we celebrate Human Rights Day on 21 March each year, we feel it’s fitting to dedicate the whole month to this important topic.
South Africa included human rights into our Bill of Rights in our constitution and would need 2/3 vote to change, so it is unlikely that the rights of our citizens would be taken away.
Let’s look at a list of our human rights as set out by the Bill of Rights of our country.
- Equality
- Human dignity
- Life
- Freedom and security
- Personal privacy
- Freedom of expression
- Freedom of association
- Political rights
- Education
- Slavery, servitude and forced labour – the right to choose who to work for and the kind of work.
- Citizenship
- Housing
- Children – parental care, shelter, and food. Children may not be neglected or abused or forced to work.
These basic human rights are well within our means and hearts to achieve every day as we work with children. Our staff are also treated with dignity and respect as they care for your children.
The Rights of Children in South Africa
Closely related to the general human rights of South Africa are the rights of children. Since we work with and care for your children, it is vital that we have a deep understanding of these rights.
Here is a list of the rights of children in South Africa.
Every child has the right to:
- a name and a nationality from birth
- family care or parental care, or to appropriate alternative care when removed from the family environment
- basic nutrition, shelter, basic health care services and social services
- be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation
- be protected from exploitative labour practices
- not be required or permitted to perform work or provide services that –
are inappropriate for a person of that child’s age; or
place at risk the child’s well-being, education, physical or mental health or spiritual, moral or social development - not be detained except as a measure of last resort, in which case, in addition to the rights a child enjoys under sections 12 and 35, the child may be detained only for the shortest appropriate period of time, and has the right to be –
kept separately from detained persons over the age of 18 years; and
is treated in a manner, and kept in conditions, that take account of the child’s age - have a legal practitioner assigned to the child by the state, and at state expense, in civil proceedings affecting the child, if substantial injustice would otherwise result; and not be used directly in armed conflict, and to be protected in times of armed conflict.
A child’s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.
While the list may use big words, it basically explains that children need to be cared for. They have the right to food, shelter and health services, and that they should not be abused or neglected.
Their educational, physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social development should be nurtured.
As with the human rights of South Africans, we are invested in achieving and nurturing the rights of children at our aftercare. We look at how in more detail in the next section.
How We Foster the Human Rights and Rights of Children at Top Marks
The South African government has made it easy to treat people with respect by putting in writing what each person’s rights are. There is no ambiguity when it comes to following the constitution, but to be honest, good teachers and care givers do all of this, and more, naturally.
We thought it would be fun to go through the list of human rights and the rights of children and see where we think we score the highest. Now, to be fair, some points don’t apply to us, so we can’t be blamed for not achieving some of them. (E.G. We don’t foresee any need for armed conflict in the near future!! LOL!)
But, without further ado, here are top picks for how we are nurturing our children and staff in line with the human rights and the rights of children of our country. ‘
- Equality : No child or staff member is treated differently or given different opportunities than another.
- Human dignity: we do not, in any way, speak down to children or staff or demean them. We work with respect.
- Freedom and security: We do everything we can to ensure a safe and secure environment. We have a controlled entrance, fencing, and regularly repaired equipment in the environment. We ensure that every child arrives at aftercare when they are supposed to.
- Personal privacy: We do not go through learner’s bags and encourage them to keep their belongings to themselves and their bags closed.
- Freedom of expression: Learners and staff may dress according to their personal styles, as long as it is in a dignified fashion.
- Freedom of association: We accept learners and staff from all associations, religions and groups.
- Education: We take our tuition very seriously and employ qualified, talented, and passionate teachers to assist with homework.
- Children – parental care, shelter, and food: We take a personal interest in the children in our care. We genuinely care what is going on at home. We also ensure that every child receives a good meal for lunch. We are happy to chat with concerned parents and will go out of our way to solve any queries that arise.
- Not be required or permitted to perform work or provide services that –
are inappropriate for a person of that child’s age; or
place at risk the child’s well-being, education, physical or mental health or spiritual, moral or social development: We take care to ensure that the children at Top Marks are cared for educationally, but also morally, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. No topic is closed for discussion with our children and parents.
It’s been a good practice to go through these rights and see how we match up. We believe that because we have the best interests of the children at heart, we are on the right path.
Wrapping it Up
Ensuring that the rights of each child and adult at Top Marks are met is a matter of leading with the heart. We know that because we genuinely care for each soul that walks through our gate, we treat everyone with the respect and dignity they deserve. Our door is always open, and we are always available for a chat. Simply get in touch via the contact page.