This comes as SA commemorates Child Protection Week from May 25 to June 1, under the theme: "Working together in ending violence against children". Non-Profit Organisation, the Teddy Bear Foundation says officials have noted heightened levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic disorder in the country’s youth and more concerning, in children. 

This is as a result of either being victims of abuse or bearing witness to such acts in society. Director of the Foundation, Dr Shaheda Omar says National Treasury must do more to prioritise youth mental health issues.

“Just to appreciate and recognise that we started child protection week in 1997, we are now in 2025 and to look at the impact of child protection week and I think people in the child protection sector, do not only speak to this week, we speak to a 365 day campaign, so child protection is all the time and requires a collected guide to safeguarding and protecting children,” Omar said.

--SABC--