Symposium on Children’s Rights
28 & 29th November 2007
The
An Inter-disciplinary Dialogue on Children’s Rights
to engage various perspectives on the abolition of corporal punishment
and for the promotion of positive discipline.
“Creating space for the important conversation between the fields of Law, International Human Rights, Child Work, Theology, Politics and Psychology concerning the current Children’s Amendment Bill, in the hope of harmonising international norms with current religious beliefs and traditional practices in
Hosted by the South African Council of Churches & Save the Children,
Programme
Day One (Wednesday 28th November 2007)
08:00 - REGISTRATION
09:00 - Welcome by Ms Thabisile Msezane (former SACC Senior Vice President)
09:15 - Welcome by Rev
09:30 - Overviews of the Symposium by Rev Keith Vermeulen (
SESSION 1
10:00 - Address by Ms Paula Proudlock (Program Manager: Children’s Institute):
“Developments in South African child care and protection legislation during 2007”
10:25 - Address by Dr Ann Skelton (Director: Child Law Centre,
10:45 - Plenary interaction: Questions of clarity
11:00 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break
SESSION 2
11:30 - An overview by Ms Carol Bower (Independent Child Rights consultant & former Director of RAPCAN): ”The reality: South African children’s experiences of corporal punishment”
11:50 - Rev Martin October (
12:10 - Rev Dr Vuyani Vellem (General Secretary: Uniting Presbyterian Church in
12:30 - Plenary Discussion
13:00 - LUNCH
SESSION 3
14:00 - Roundtable Conversation: "Opportunities and constraints in striving for legislation that protects the rights of the child to bodily integrity" (Facilitator: Dr. Nonhlanhla Mkhize)
Panelists: Ms Daksha Kassan (Community Law centre, UWC)
The Hons. Advocate Mike Tshililo Masutha & Cheryllyn Dudley (PC Social Development)
The Revd. Siyabulela Gidi (Public Liaison for the Archbishop of Cape Town)
15:30 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break
SESSION 4
16:00 - Children’s Presentation by the Children’s Resource Centre (Mr Marcus Solomon)
16:30 - Conversation Groups (To be announced)
18:00 - DINNER - All participants invited
Day Two (Thursday 29th November 2007)
SESSION 5
09:00 - Presentation by Mr Marcus Solomon (Children’s Resource Centre) & Discussion
09:30 - Panel Discussion 1: Psycho-social reflections: “That ‘loving smack’ never really harmed anyone” (Facilitator: Rev. Alistair Arends)
Panelists: Associate Professor Pamela Naidoo (Dept of Psychology, University of Western Cape)
Ms Joan van Niekerk (Childline SA)
Ms Claire Collins (Gordon College, Global Education Programme Coordinator)
Ms Joyce Siwani (President: National Children’s Rights Committee)
Rev. Gift Moerane (Secretary: Gauteng Council of Churches)
10:30 - Open discussion
11:00 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break
SESSION 6
11:30 - Panel Discussion 2: “Religious, Social and Educational reflections on the end of corporal punishment and the promotion of positive discipline”
(Facilitator: Ms Sam Waterhouse, Advocacy Manager, RAPCAN)
Panelists: Ms Amy Rass (COSATU)
Ms. Avril Knott-Craig (Quaker Peace Centre: Schools Positive Discipline Programme)
Mr Kevin Roussel (Catholic Parliamentary Office)
Rev. Jenni Samdaan (IDASA, Community and Citizen Partnership)
Muslim Judicial Council representative
12:30 - Open discussion
13:00 - LUNCH
14:00 - Open discussion (continued)
SESSION 7
14:30 - Conversation Groups: How to further advance children's rights to dignity, respect and equity through positive discipline.
15:15 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break
15:30 - Conversation Group Report backs
16:00 - Thanks, concluding reflections and closure
