Description

The article focuses on an awareness campaign on child abuse in Matsatseng, Lesotho. The community of Matsatseng has organised an awareness campaign on child abuse prevention and this campaign is intended to encourage different groups of the community within the council to join hands in preventing and reporting cases of child abuse.

Analysis

This article highlighted the significance of educating society about child abuse prevention and the role society can play in child abuse prevention. The story is gender aware and uses two sources, one female and one male to support the need to strengthen the awareness campaign on child abuse.

Headline

The headline is straight to the point and informs the reader about what to expect in the article that is awareness around child abuse.

Sources

The story is well sourced as the writer has interviewed both a female and male about the issue of child abuse. For example the Secretary of the Matsatseng Community Council Mothnt’sr Lekau was quoted saying, the campaign will focus on the role of the community in child protection and a member of Child and Gender Protection Unit, Trooper Tsietsi concurred with Lekau’s statement by saying that the fight against child abuse needs requires concerted effort by all in the community. The two sources articulate important points about child abuse. What is also commendable is that the male source works in the Child and Gender Protection Unit in Quthing. He understands the issues and demonstrates that men can also be involved in ending child abuse.

Language

The story demonstrates that children are victims of abuse by elderly people who are supposed to be their protectors. Throughout the article, the reporter emphasises victimisation and the plight of these children.

Visual images

No images used.

Story angle and perspective

Gender-based violence (GBV), or violence against women (VAW), is a major public health and human rights problem in Southern Africa. Children are usually the main targets of abuse especially through sexual abuse or rape. The article brings out what a community is doing around raising awareness on child abuse and encouraging parents and relatives to report cases of child abuse. The writer brings out details of what the campaign will focus on, who it will involve in order to make it a success and it also emphasises that the campaign is being done by local government. The story also highlights some of the types of child abuse. 20 cases of child abuse have been reported but the reporter did not go further to breaking down the number by sex. The article was published a week before the kick off of the 16 Days of Activism. Thus it foregrounds the issue of child abuse so that it is considered as part of the campaign to end violence against women and children.

Placement or positioning

The story is placed on page three, right bottom corner of the newspaper. On the same page are stories on workers at border posts and also one on money lenders who were appealing against a court judgement. The two stories are given prominence whilst the story in question is not.