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Date
: 10/12/04
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs
Title: Gigaba: Launch of Child Pornography Hotline number
Remarks by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, on
the occasion of the launch of the Child Pornography Hotline
Number
10 December 2004
56 years ago today, riding on the back of the victory of humanity
against Nazism, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted
and proclaimed the Universal Declaration for Human Rights.
For 6 years, the peoples of the world had acted together –
Communists and Capitalists, Africans, Europeans, Asians and Latin
Americans, women and men - to extinguish a perilous threat fed by
bigotry and dangerous nationalism.
Had the world not acted in this united fashion, today’s world
would have been radically different from the one we know today,
imperfect as this world still is.
Quite correctly, the General Assembly proclaimed the Universal
Declaration for Human Rights as a common standard of achievement
for all peoples and nations.
It issued an instruction to all to promote respect for human rights
and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and
international, to secure their universal and effective recognition
and observance, both among the peoples of member states themselves
and among the peoples of territories under their
jurisdiction.
This historic document was one of the United Nations’ first
main achievements and it laid the basic philosophy and principles
that underpinned all legally binding international resolutions and
conventions.
Article 1 of the Declaration correctly posits that all human beings
are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Further, it notes that human beings are endowed with reason and
conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon
all Member countries to raise pubic awareness, consciousness and
education about the contents of the Declaration and "to cause it to
be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in
schools and other educational institutions, without distinction
based on the political status of countries or territories."
It was thus therefore that 10 December came to be declared an
international Human Rights Day.
Out of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights was born a series
of other Declarations and Rights, including those of the children,
the women, the youth, the elderly, the oppressed, the minorities
and others.
Arising from this challenge, we need to pose to ourselves the
simple question: have we done enough as a country, NGOs,
government, the intelligentsia, teachers and as civil society to
raise public awareness including engaging in a public discourse on
what the Declaration means to us in practical terms to give a
concrete resonance to the letter and spirit of our own Constitution
as a country? It is patently clear that it is incumbent upon all of
us to raise the level of education and consciousness around the
essence and imperatives inherent in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
The tragic reality is that there are many among our people who, for
reasons of their vulnerability and lack of power and voice, still
yearn for the observance of and respect for human rights, both
internationally and here in South Africa.
As we celebrate this historic day, they cry out in silence hoping
that somebody somewhere listens to their plight and does something
to assist them gain a voice ad to be seen.
They ask the penetrating question, if your human rights mean so
much to you, how come our own human rights mean so little to
you!
Among those that we refer to are the children of the world and of
this country who continue to be exploited and abused, silent and
powerless victims of violence perpetrated by knowing and adult
humans who are supposed to be protecting them.
Through our own experience as a country, we know this for sure that
worse than the crime committed by the perpetrator, is the crime of
inaction carried out by those who watch, have the power and the
capacity to intervene, but rather sit idly watching and doing
nothing while a crime is being perpetrated in front of their
eyes.
Many of us are guilty of this crime, either because of our own
self-induced ignorance or because we are too lethargic or afraid to
do anything.
During this, the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Violence Against
and Abuse of Women and Children, it became necessary that we should
reiterate the messages we have always made before: both that
women’s and children’s rights are human rights, and
that violence against and the abuse of women and children must be
fought on each one of the 365 days that make up a year.
Yet the cold fact is that there are still too many crimes committed
against the children in this country, as a result of which we need
to intensify our campaigns, and rally all South Africans to become
activists for the protection and advancement of the rights of the
child.
The Child Protection Unit of the SAPS has reported the shocking
information that there is a radical rise in the rates of violence
against children in South Africa, manifested amongst other things
in the rising cases of child pornography currently under
investigation or before the Courts.
Recently, a Court in Cape Town sentenced to six full years, without
the option of a fine, a paedophile who had completely abused his
position of privilege as a teacher to engage children in obscene
sexual activities.
Perhaps, among what we need to do is to campaign for the
registration of anyone found guilty of being a paedophile o that
they are never employed anywhere they will come in contact with
children, as paedophiles cannot be converted.
Further, we need our nation to engage in a united campaign against
all pornography, especially on the national media, both print and
electronic, especially the TV.
For those of you who have never seen an image of child pornography,
be grateful that you have never and please keep it that way, for
the image is too gruesome to the mind and never escapes your
memory.
Since 1997, there has been a 1500% increase in the number of child
pornography images, according to the Internet Watch
Foundation.
According to the Italian organisation, Rainbow, there are more than
17 000 websites devoted to child pornography exclusively on the
Internet, with the US and Russia accounting for over 75% of all
images, and child pornography syndicates raking in billions of
dollars in profits through the sale of these images.
More than 99% of child pornography images are accessed and
distributed through the Internet, and children themselves are
reported to be increasingly involved in the distribution of these
images.
Obviously, we need to engage in a sustained campaign, involving
schools, religious institutions, NGOs, the media, parents, teachers
and children themselves to combat this dangerous crime.
Related to this, we also need to note that today also marks an
epilogue for the Sixteen Days Activism Campaign.
Without any fear of contradiction, we need to unite in a
people’s contract to fight violence against women and
children. All sectors of our society should unite to fight against
woman and child abuse. Government on its own cannot defeat this
scourge. All South Africans should challenge the social acceptance
of domestic violence and sexual and gender-based abuse.
Most violence against women and children is committed in family
homes and by people known to the victims. Accordingly, we must
break through the silence in and concealment by families and
communities of this crime and expose the perpetrators.
Men and boys who do not abuse should be affirmed as ambassadors of
no violence against women and children. All forms of abuse -
physical, emotional and verbal – are unacceptable
Crime fighting partnerships with government help empower survivors
and victims of abuse and sensitise them to their rights. They help
broaden access to trauma and counselling facilities for victims of
violence.
Government is unwavering in its commitment to fight violence
against women and children. The Sexual Offences Bill, soon to be
passed, will broaden the definition of sexual violence and help
ensure that heavy sentences will be imposed on perpetrators who
have been charged and convicted.
More and more police officers are undergoing specialised training
so that they deal sensitively with cases of violence against women
and children.
There are now over 40 specialised Sexual Offences Courts and they
will be expanded throughout the country. Government will also
establish at least two Community Courts in each province by March
2005 to speed up cases awaiting trial and improve the conviction
rate.
16 Days of Activism is a call to action. Let us extend the 16 days
of activism into the festive season. Increased violence over the
festive period means we must sustain the campaign and ensure that
services and support are accessible during this period to
reduce.
On this occasion of the launch of the Child Hotline Number, we are
proud to announce that in addition to various child protection
initiatives, the Films and Publication Amendment Act has been
amended to make the investigation and prosecution of Child
Pornography offenders more effective. The Act has taken radical
steps to provide a broad definition of child pornography and to
impose harsher sentences on the culprits.
According to the Act, it is also an offence to possess, create,
produce, distribute, import, access, advertise or promote child
pornography images. Each of these acts carries a maximum penalty of
10 years imprisonment. Failure to report knowledge of child
pornography images to the police is also an offence. It is also an
offence to expose children to pornography. Even if one commits any
of these acts outside South Africa, you may be prosecuted when you
return to South Africa.
Every child deserves childhood that includes a period of innocence.
We are not protecting our children when we, by our silence and
inaction, allow them to be used for the sexual gratification of
adults. If you know of someone involved with child pornography
images or have reason to suspect someone of such a crime, report it
to the police immediately.
We are therefore calling upon all organs of civil society to UNITE
IN A PEOPLE’S CONTRACT AGAINST CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. In the
event that we you stumble across child pornography images or know
of a site that contains or advertises child pornography images,
call the Hotline (0800 148 148) with that information.
We have a collective duty to protect our children from harmful
materials by monitoring our children’s use of the Internet.
Critically, we also have a fiduciary responsibility to educate
ourselves as responsible parents and as organs of civil society,
about the main risks to our children and talk to them to let them
know that we are there to guide them and pass on essential safety
advise.
The protection of children is not somebody else’s problem but
ours.
To give a concrete resonance to the principles of the Film and
Publication Act, Cabinet recently approved the appointment of
additional Examiners and Chief Examiners of the Film and
Publication Board.
I think we need to take advantage of this opportunity to stand up
and observe a moment of silence to pay our respect to Mr ML Lakhani
who passed away a few weeks ago after his re-appointment by Cabinet
as a Chief Examiner. He has, for the past four years, served the
board with distinction, excellence, diligence and immeasurable
commitment which all of us should emulate. We will miss his
counsel, guidance and insightful inputs as we navigate our way into
a creating a caring and compassionate society based on the respect
to human rights and dignity.
The role of these examiners would include amongst others, the
classification and examination of the films, materials, computers
and publications, to determine the appropriateness of the language,
elements of nudity, levels of violence and cultural expressions and
the extent to which it violates or promote the letter and spirit of
the Film and Publications Act as well as Constitution of the
country.
The central objective of the classification process is to protect
children from exposure to inappropriate material by imposing age
restrictions and giving consumers advice about the content of a
film, publication or a computer game. Classification will or must
be balanced with the Constitutional freedoms and the right of South
Africans to be protected from materials which they might find
offensive.
We need to take a stance against child pornography. By not taking
decisive action against child pornography, we are betraying the
trust of our children. History will not absolve us for being
irresponsible.
I am pleased to announce today that we shall as a Department of
Home Affairs soon announce the re-composed and more representative
Ministerial Task Team on Child Pornography and shall, in the first
half of 2005, convene a National Conference on Child Pornography in
order to draw a comprehensive programme of action.
This is a call to action: to unite in action to fight and combat
child pornography! Once more, I implore you to Call the Child
Hotline number 0800 148148.
I thank you. Media Enquiries: Nkosana Sibuyi Head of
Communication
Cell: 082 886 6708
Madiba Thabethe
Spokesperson: Deputy Minister
Cell: 082 888 8613
Issued by: Ministry of Home Affairs
10 December 2004
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