Children come first at Open Day

Children First, a Durban-based NGO promoting and protecting the rights and wellbeing of children, invited friends, colleagues and partner organisations to mark the "World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse" on 19 November 2002. The Day was devoted to children, with guests from various communities and children's rights organisations enjoying displays, demonstrations, performances and food at the Diakonia Centre in St Andrew's Street, Durban. HIVAN participated with its own information table, distributing copies of Sondela and other materials.

In her opening address, Director of ChildLine, Joan van Niekerk, commended the ChildrenFirst Journal as being "... one of the few publications dealing with the rights of children in South Africa. It is truly indigenous writing from the real heart of the NGO world and civil society, as well as a watchdog, a networking tool and a cheap source of information, important services and useful resources."

Children First is registered as a Section 21 (not-for-gain) company and is committed to presenting African perspectives on the situation of children in South Africa and Africa. It does this by providing:

• a forum for sharing experience and knowledge that may help develop models of good practice for working with children
• a platform for debate of issues that affect children and their carers
• opportunities for children to express their views and concerns
• a tool for lobbying policymakers and opinion-formers

To contact Children First:

E-mail: [email protected] or
Tel/Fax: 27 (0) 31 307 3405.
Visit the Children First website on www.childrenfirst.org.za
or their offices at Room 67, Diakonia Centre, 20 St Andrews Street, Durban

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