The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (Saapa) says strengthening liquor legislation would make the country a safer place for children, reports EWN.
Saapa is particularly concerned with the link between harmful or hazardous drinking and the maltreatment of children. Director Maurice Smithers said that Saapa also considered the high levels of underage drinking by children as young as 12 to be an issue needing urgent attention.
‘We should be taking every step possible to honour the Bill of Rights in our Constitution and the UNHCR Convention on the rights of the child. This means acknowledging the link between the harmful use of alcohol by adults in the home, and in the community and the physical and psychological abuse of children in our society and taking the necessary steps to prevent such abuse,’ said Smithers.
‘We therefore encourage government to fast track the passing of the long-overdue Liquor Amendment Bill, which will go some way towards reducing the threat of alcohol harm to the health, safety, and general well-being of our children,’ Smithers said.