Taking into consideration the cultural values, languages, and traditions of all the children and, Recognizing the urgent need for attention to improving the life of children and protecting their rights in every region, in particular those regions which have been especially subjected to violence, political unrest and poverty. For the purposes of the charter, a child means any person under the age of 18 years old, unless otherwise stated. Article Two Children have been and continue to be abused, tortured, mistreated, neglected and abandoned by the people of South Africa. Children are not treated with the respect and dignity that every human being deserves, but instead are subjected to violence, poverty, racism, and the ignorance of adults.
Children continue to suffer from the inequalities of apartheid, especially in the area of education.
Children do not receive proper health and medical care and attention, yet do not have the right to demand treatment. Children are arrested, tried without lawyers and held in prisons. Children are beaten and abused by the police and by gangs and other adults. Children are the future leaders of tomorrow, but they are not given the right to participate in consultations or negotiations about their future. The government and other political parties have put children last, not first.