Reframe how we see young people

TOO often, young people are seen only through the lens of what's going wrong: rising dropout rates, mental health crises, violence, unemployment. We are seen as problems to be fixed, risks to be managed, or passive recipients of adult plans. But when do we get to be seen for who we are and what we as young people are doing right?

- BONTLE MOTATSA

Across South Africa, young people are showing up in ways that deserve to be recognised. We are leading peer dialogues, running youth-led feeding schemes, standing up for our rights, mentoring younger children, creating safe spaces online and offline.

We are not just waiting for change. We are trying to be the change this country needs. We are often doing this with little support, limited or no resources, and it's barely acknowledged by those making decisions. This is why the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), soon to be approved by the Cabinet, matters so deeply to children. Not only because it's about us, but also because it's a chance to reframe how society sees and engages with us.

It is not just another document. It tells government departments, the private sector, and civil society that collaboration is not optional, it's imperative. If we are serious about changing the story for children and teenagers in South Africa, we must start by involving them genuinely and consistently. It is a call to reframe how we see young people, not as recipients, but as partners in building a safer, stronger South Africa.