Our mission is to build synergies amongst Southern Africa institutions and individuals to fight against all manifestations of child abuse, in particular child sexual and commercial exploitation, child exploitative labour and trafficking of children for any purpose, through lobby and advocacy, protection, law reform, rehabilitation and care services for victims.
The Southern Africa Network Against Trafficking and Abuse of Children (SANTAC), is a forum of civil society organisations whose activities are aimed at the prevention and protection of child abuse and child trafficking in the Southern Africa region.
SANTAC was formed in 2002 as a coalition of civil society organisations working with child protection programs in Southern Africa. They jointly launched the Regional Campaign Against Child Trafficking with a duration of 5 years. Terre des Hommes Germany supported the coalition, and Save the Children Norway. The lead organisation was the Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Família. Furthermore, the campaign was supported by Desmond Tutu and Graça Machel as patrons.
The Southern Africa Network against Trafficking and Abuse of Children (SANTAC) was born as an advanced step of the Regional Campaign against Child Abuse launched on 16 June 2002 by regional and national NGO’s from five different SADC countries, under the leadership of Graça Machel and her husband, the late Nelson Mandela (Madiba).
The 15 countries that comprise the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region are home to nearly 17 million orphans. The magnitude of the problems of vulnerable children and migrating youth across the region is alarming and children’s rights continue to be violated as a result of harmful social, cultural and religious practices.
Marginalised children that are forced to work due to household poverty, illness and/or absence of an adult caregiver often cross borders unaccompanied as a survival strategy. When they migrate, they are especially vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation and other severe violations of children’s human rights due to their age, language barriers and undocumented status in the host country. Many of these children and youth become victims of traffickers who capitalise on the vulnerabilities created by armed conflicts, political instability, climate changes, endemic poverty, minimal access to health and education, gender inequality, unemployment and a general lack of opportunities for most of the population, especially, women and children.
The network continues combating abuse, trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation, and promotes the rights of the child throughout SANTAC’s areas of operation in Southern Africa.
The SANTAC board of directors includes one representative each from
seach of the following SANTAC member organisations:
