By Gadija Khan, Senior Research Specialist, Developmental, Capable and Ethical State
‘Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero.’
This powerful African proverb captures the essence of this year’s (2024) World Children’s Day theme. As South Africa joins the global community in commemorating this important day on 20 November, the proverb reminds us that those in power often control the narrative, while the voices of the less powerful, i.e. children and youth, will remain unheard.
South Africa has laid important foundations for children’s rights and well-being through progressive legislation. The Children’s Act (38 of 2005) is the cornerstone of child protection laws in the country, while the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy (2015) has opened doors to crucial early development services.
Photo by Safari Consoler: https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-children-jumping-midair-while-posing-for-a-photo-19263417/
South Africa’s child support grant has become a lifeline for millions, ensuring more children have their basic needs met. According to Hall, Proudlock and Budlender (2023), the grant reaches 65% (over 13 million children, with total children in South Africa being 20 million), providing essential social protection
However, legislation alone cannot guarantee transformation. While these initiatives are vital, they represent only adult voices speaking about children’s needs. The National Adolescent and Youth Health Policy (2017), which addresses important issues, including sexual and reproductive health rights and the challenges of violence and substance abuse, marks a step forward but still reflects the ‘hunter telling the lion’s story.’
What’s missing is the direct involvement of young voices in shaping and implementing these policies. With the framework for support in place, we now need to create mechanisms for children and youth to influence how these policies work in practice. Their lived experiences – whether as beneficiaries of a child support grant or as users of sexual and reproductive health services – offer invaluable insights that could strengthen the effectiveness of these programmes.
The unheard roars – a crisis of safety and opportunity
Violence, unemployment, and social insecurity form an intricate web that threatens young South Africans’ well-being. Violence has become deeply embedded in many communities, with crime, gangsterism and interpersonal conflict disproportionately affecting young people. Children and youth navigate environments where violence is not just a statistic but their daily reality. The psychological impacts runs deep, creating cycles of trauma that manifest as depression, anxiety, and social disconnection.
Gender-based violence continues to cast a shadow over young women and girls, inflicting psychological wounds that may never fully heal. Perhaps most alarming is what happens behind closed doors or within our homes. In some of the worst cases, violence directed at children culminates in filicide – the killing of children by their parents or caregivers. Recent research by Khan et al. (2023) reveals a chilling pattern: 27% of these cases involve poisoning, while suffocation/strangling and assault each account for 15% of incidents.
While community policing initiatives and social programmes exist to address the violence at grassroot level, young people’s experiences suggest gaps in implementation. A sustainable solution lies not just in strengthening policies but in amplifying youth voices in discussions about safety and violence prevention. When young people speak about violence, they often highlight issues that adults may overlook. For example, unsafe routes to school andtechnology-facilitated violence, such as cyber-bullying and online exploitation. Many adults struggle to understand these challenges, let alone address them.
A parallel ‘crisis of opportunity’ threatens to silence young voices. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Statistics South Africa, 2024) shows that youth unemployment (15–24 years = 60.8% and 25-34 years=41.7%) continues to exceed the national average, i.e. 33,5 % in quarter 2 (June to September 2024). Mngoma and Ayonrinde (2023) note that South Africa maintains one of the world’s highest rates of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET). Joblessness has far-reaching consequences contributing to poverty and the disillusionment with the promise of democracy. This problem is exacerbated by a lack of vocational training and skills development opportunities, which leaves many young people ill-prepared for the job market. The high unemployment rate contributes to feelings of hopelessness and frustration, which can lead to increased substance use and involvement in criminal activities.
The government’s mixed track record in addressing violence against children and youth underscores a painful truth: policies crafted without youth voices are like maps drawn without seeing the terrain. While statistics paint a stark picture, these numbers only hint at the struggles young South Africans face daily. Their lived experiences, when given space to be heard, reveal solutions that statistics alone could never suggest. When young lions are given the platform to roar – to share their experiences and propose solutions – they transform from victims of circumstance into architects of change.
The rise of youth advocacy and creating platforms for youth representation
South African youth have already demonstrated their power to take up space. The #FeesMustFall movement (2015–2016) showed how young voices can drive meaningful change (Booysen 2016; Greeff, Mostert, Kahl, & Jonke 2021). Similarly, the ongoing LGBTQIA+ advocacy and rights movements exemplify the ‘young lions’ claiming their right to tell their own stories and challenge the status quo.
The future of South Africa depends on transforming our young ‘lions’ from subjects of others’ stories into authors of their own narratives. To truly ‘listen to the future’ we must create spaces where young people can safely share their stories and solutions. This can be achieved through initiatives such as 1) youth-led mental health initiatives where young people design and deliver support services, 2) youth-driven safety programmes in communities that allow young people to identify and address security concerns, 3) youth employment think-tanks where young job seekers can contribute to policy solutions, and 4) youth-led research to ensure young people’s lived experiences inform interventions.
From subjects to storytellers
As we commemorate World Children’s Day, let us remember the African proverb: ‘Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero’. The future of South Africa rests not just in protecting our youth, but in amplifying their voices. When we transform young ‘lions’ from subjects into storytellers, we don’t just change the narrative – we change the future itself. Additionally, today’s young South Africans are no longer content to be characters in someone else’s narrative – they are becoming the authors of their own stories, the architects of their own futures and the heroes of their own lives.
