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Children say ....

Children's voices can be highlighted at various levels. To get children’s opinions, their priorities, descriptions of needs and recommendations regarding childre's rights, a national project has been launched and the reports below reflect their responses and views.The initial aim of this child participation process is to open a way for children to input into the NSP development. Provincial and local plans also need children involvement.

The full reports are accessible by clicking on the readmore button at the bottom of each brief description. Note that the reports are adobe (pdf) files and might take some time to download in some browsers.

NSP 2012 - 2016
Being safe
CASNET
HIV Testing
Learning about HIV
Living with HIV
Teen pregnancy

National Strategic Plan 2012 - 2016
The NSP is already quite strongly shaped. Will children be able to influence it’s content? Without even knowing the content of the NSP, what do children see as a priority concerning HIV and their experience of it. Children in this ‘hearing’ expressed raw experiences of HIV- illness, suffering, death, lack of income. This despite the availability of testing and treatment and possibility of prolonged life. It would be interesting to know if these are general expressions of things seen in society or intimate experiences of each of these children. Whatever the answer, children still consider HIV as hugely impacting their lives. We could gather more stories and evidence of HIV impact and clarify what they experience.
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Being safe

Adults could respond and make a difference if only they could hear children speak about issues that affect their safety. Adults often do not understand what the children are trying to say when they are drawing maps of their villages and illustrating in a child expressive way, some of the issues they were facing. But this illustrates how children could contribute to the agendas of community development and in this case their safety. While this participation exercise is to feed into the NSP development it is also important that change and development happens for children directly. We hope the adult listeners will include and listen to children in their future planning and action.
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Caring Schools Network

For many children, going to school is a nightmare, bullying, sexual harrassment, corporal punishment, emotional abuse, and many other factors. Casnet hosted a dialogue between children, educators, representatives from DBE and Durban Municipality on ‘Safer Cities’ campaign. Yezingane was there to record opinions of ‘Being Safe at School’! Lack of safety compromises physical, emotional, social and life integrity.Children are vulnerable and sometimes powerless in the face of abuse and other violations. Safety comes in several packages and this is what the children discussed.
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HIV Testing at School

Yes
You don’t waste time by going to the clinic, you won’t be absent from school” “You will have friends and counsellors to comfort and support you at school” You get more chances to talk to counsellors because nurses are always busy, they don’t have time”
No
“It is more private, your family won’t know your status” “Some parents won’t allow their children to get tested, so if it is done in schools they can” “Some children are scared of getting tested in their communities”.
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Where have you learnt about HIV/AIDS

"Clinics have been helpful in giving information about HIV".
"My mother has told me things!"
"Soul Buddyz group at school. Five of the Scouts were also in a Soul Buddyz group and had information from Soul City."
"Soul Buddyz has a strong emphasis on health and HIV education."
"Once enough knowledge has been gained, Scouts earn an HIV badge. Two Scouts had the badge and others were due to pass it off. Scouts also learn about ‘universal protection’ when learning about first aid"
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Living with HIV/AIDS

We visit the clinic once a month and stay the whole day.
We would like the clinic to be more child-friendly, especially because we wait so long. For example games to play and things to do such as TV to watch (or DVD’s, even ones with information), availability of food and water, even paint it a beautiful colour like pink and blue and put up information posters!
The staff must be kind
We need a hospital play space - for example it could include pool, board games, netball,soccer, morabaraba, chess and drawing
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If I found myself pregnant, I would ...

"I would be very depressed." "I would feel bad and never again be a good girl!"
"I would feel sad, shocked and embarrassed." "I will feel awful at first, but as time goes by I will accept it."
"I would be afraid of what my parents would think." "How could I tell my mother and father?"
"I would tell my parents so that they could help me."
"I would be afraid of what my friend would think."
"Iwould be ashamed to walk outside." "I would hate myself for what I did."
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CHILDRENS' RIGHTS CENTRE

Children say ....

National Strategic Plan 2012 - 2016

Being safe

Caring Schools Network

HIV Testing at School

Where have you learnt about HIV/AIDS

Living with HIV/AIDS

If I found myself pregnant, I would ...

A poem by Xolisile