Botswana: Tonota District has reported a rise in child neglect cases in the district. The district administration is shocked by the statistics, asserting that the issue needed the intervention from experts and authorities.
Accordingly, The Manyanda Child Protection Committee organised a child neglect awareness meeting. The meeting was aimed towards the residents of the Manyanda community. The event was hosted on Friday today at Manyanda Kgotla.
The members of the community were invited to be a part of the meeting. The aim of the initiative was to educate the parents about child neglect. The organizers encouraged them to be more mindful of their actions towards their children.
The administration is prioritizing the welfare of the children of the community. In line with this, they urge parents to make sure that they are not behaving affecting the child negatively.
During the meeting, residents were informed about the shocking statistics of child neglect. They were educated about the long-term physical, mental and emotional consequences of the neglect.
Notably, the experts believe that child neglect in early years can lead to a number of developmental issues. The major cause of concern is that the children face a higher risk of experiencing physical, emotional and cognitive development delays.
The victims of neglect may face difficulties in forming healthy attachments, managing emotions and developing social skills. The authorities understand that the victims of child neglect require mental and physical health support.
The authorities have pledged to create a safer and healthier environment for the children of the community, For this mandate, they have engaged stakeholders to help raise awareness about the issue.
The authorities have also pledged to implement the support services and promoting early intervention into the issue. As per the district administration, the department of Social & Community Development is handling 27 cases as of January to April 2024 in Tonota.
Meanwhile, Manyanda community has registered 10 of these cases. The people of the community are happy with the administration for taking the initiative for the betterment of the community.