The Gauteng Department of Social Development in partnership with Love Life Foundation, NPOs and NGOs that render services to boy children hosted the Boy Child Summit on Thursday with the aim to develop and strengthen programmes that are geared towards assisting and empowering boys, to ensure a better quality of life and to promote human dignity for all.
The event took place at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
The boy child programme, an initiative of the SA Men of the Year Awards that targets boys between the ages of 12 and 18 years, will provide mentorship and support for the boy child in their journey to becoming responsible, caring and successful men and envisage to see them make positive life choices that will enable them to maximise their personal potential and lead healthy non-violent lives.
The summit resolved that the Provincial Government must develop a frame work for the empowerment of a boychild, before the end of the year.
Participants felt that there was a need for organisations and individuals who work with these children to register with the Department of Social Development, as required by the Children's Act.
It further encouraged practitioners in the sector to be vetted as to prevent paedophiles. A boy sectoral forum will be set up to co-ordinate their activities.