Cablegate: Champions for Children Campaign Launched In

VZCZCXRO7080
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHSA #2671/01 3631241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291241Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0749
INFO RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY 7470
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN PRIORITY 1535
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG PRIORITY 9825

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 002671

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KTIP SF
SUBJECT: CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN
PREPARATION FOR WORLD CUP 2010

-------
SUMMARY
-------

1. (U) On December 8-9, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
(NMCF), in cooperation with the Department of Social
Development (DSD) and numerous civil society organizations,
launched the Champions for Children Campaign to ensure the
protection and safety of children during the FIFA World Cup
2010 and beyond. Both the government and its NGO partners
have already identified the potential risks to children
during such a large scale event and have developed plans for
their protection. Lawyers from the South African Law Reform
Commission (SALRC) expect passage of the Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) bill early in 2010. Of paramount concern is
the closure of public schools for the duration of the World
Cup, but stakeholders are already mobilizing to supervise,
protect and feed children during the extended school break.
Post will look for ways to support these efforts to protect
South Africa's most vulnerable citizens. End summary.

------------------------
GOVERNMENT'S ACTION PLAN
------------------------

2. (U) Before the conference began, the senior and principal
State Law Advisers for the SALRC told Poloff that the TIP
Bill will be voted on in Parliament as early as late
February. Principal State Law Adviser Dellene Clark said
there is now plenty of political will to pass the bill. She
added that the extensive consultation process undertaken
during the drafting of the legislation meant that
implementation of the bill should also be quick and virtually
hassle-free.

3. (U) Ms. Gyan Dwarika, Social Work Advanced Specialist for
the DSD, outlined the department's comprehensive Child
Protection Action Plan for the FIFA World Cup 2010 which was
tested as a draft plan during the 2009 FIFA Confederations
Cup. The plan calls for Provincial Joint Operation Command
Centers (PROVJOC) feeding into one National Joint Operation
Command Center (NATJOC). Provincial Command Centers will
assemble teams consisting of all stakeholders:
non-governmental organizations working with children, child
and youth care workers, police, probation services, shelters
and safe houses. They will provide the contact information
and work schedules of all relevant personnel to the NATJOC as
well as the names and contacts of two individuals who will be
on standby duty for the duration of the World Cup event.

4. (U) The Action Plan focuses on fostering collaboration
between the public, civil society and government. It
outlines training and capacity building programs for the
relevant stakeholders as well as procedures for communication
between the government, civil society and service providers.
A national coordinator will make site visits to the provinces
to ensure compliance with the plan's reporting and staffing
requirements. The plan also provides for education and
mobilization of parents and communities in partnership with
existing civil society programs and provincial authorities,
although the source of the funding for such initiatives is
unclear.

----------------------------
CIVIL SOCIETY'S PREPARATIONS
----------------------------

5. (U) Civil society has also mobilized to counter the
special threats to children posed by the influx of tourists
expected to attend the World Cup. Molo Songololo, a
non-governmental organization that works on the rights, needs
and protection of children, conducted an impact study to
identify risks and vulnerabilities for children in 2010. The
DSD then used Songololo's study when crafting the Child
QDSD then used Songololo's study when crafting the Child
Protection Action Plan. The NMCF convened this conference to
launch their "Champions for Children Campaign: 2010 and
Beyond" which seeks to raise community awareness on the risks
facing children and create a movement for the protection of
children nationally and regionally. Ms. Moipoine
Buda-Ramatlo, Programmes Director for the NMCF, described a
publicity campaign that will feature South Africans from all
walks of life -- from former first lady Graca Machel to a
school principal to a township grandmother -- declaring, "I
am a champion for children. Are you?" Childline's 24-hour
toll-free hot line will be advertised nationally before,
during and after the World Cup.

--------------------------

PRETORIA 00002671 002 OF 002

WHAT WILL THE CHILDREN DO?
--------------------------

6. (U) After the presentations by the DSD and various NGOs,
grandmothers and teens from local community organizations
participated in small group discussions among the
stakeholders, providing "on the ground" context for the
planning. The number one concern of all participants was the
SAG's agreement to close all public schools for the duration
of the FIFA World Cup Tournament in order to cut down on
traffic congestion. Participants complained that the SAG had
"sold its soul to FIFA" with little thought to the
implications of such a decision. Concerns ranged from the
safety of unaccompanied children drawn to cities by the
excitement of fan parks to implementation and funding of
feeding programs for the month that schools are closed (June
11 - July 11).

7. (U) Joan van Niekerk, National Coordinator for Childline,
described a national inter-church initiative called The
Ultimate Goal (www.theultimategoal.co.za) which aims to
address some of these needs. Churches who sign on to the
program agree to run programs for the children of their
community during the World Cup. FIFA is organizing programs
for children such as it's Football for Hope center in
Khayelitsha on the outskirts of Cape Town. Coca Cola and MTN
will be sponsoring Township TVs, large outdoor screens where
soccer matches and other World Cup festivities will be
broadcast in low income communities.

---------------
HIGH VISIBILITY
---------------

8. (U) Poloff was not able to attend the second day of the
campaign launch, but it enjoyed wide press coverage due to
the involvement of former first lady Machel. Machel
characterized the campaign as a "call to ordinary people" to
protect and care for the children of their communities and
urged South Africans to act if they suspected a child was
being harmed "in any way by anyone."

-------
COMMENT
-------

9. (U) South Africa is mounting an "all hands on deck"
effort to protect children during the FIFA World Cup 2010.
Their plans were test run during the FIFA Confederations Cup
in June 2009 and the SAG seems satisfied that the Action Plan
is thorough and effective. If the DSD can successfully lobby
the national government for increased funding, they will be
better able to fully implement the training, capacity
building and community mobilization aspects of the plan.
Post will look for ways to support the SAG's efforts,
especially with respect to providing for children's safety
and well-being during the extended school break. End
comment.
GIPS

© Scoop Media