ABSTRACT
In 1995, the Republic of South Africa (RSA) rati ed both the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989). e ensuing years since rati cation have brought most of the policies and laws in line with the principles expounded in these international instruments. Other key developments within the global and regional spheres that have assisted in guiding focus for the RSA on issues of violence against women and children include the following:
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)• e Southern African Development Community Addendum to the • Gender and Development Declaration of 1997; the latter also known as the Addendum for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and was adopted in 1998 e African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the African Child • (rati ed by the RSA in 1999), developed by the Organization of African Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention (1999) and rati ed by the RSA in 2000 e International Labor Organization (ILO) Worst Forms of Child • Labor Convention (1999), rati ed by the RSA in 2000
Since the adoption of the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) in May 1996 by the cabinet, the RSA has deliberately engaged in an integrated approach to crime reduction that takes into account operationalizing joint ventures with role players who can in uence a range of factors that provide opportunities for crimes and violence to occur.4 is framework has also been applied to analysis of crime factors and strategy development regarding the criminal exploitation of women and children. Factors that a ect the criminal exploitation of women and children in South Africa range from the social and economic to criminal justice system-related matters.
