The Future Begins Now: Protecting Children’s Rights Through the Arts
By Obett Motaung
This month, as we mark Human Rights Month, we find ourselves in a familiar ritual—reflecting on what human rights mean, engaging in passionate debates, and occasionally side-eyeing governments, businesses, and institutions that seem to have selective amnesia when it comes to actual implementation. But beyond the commemorative speeches and social media hashtags, this is an opportunity for deep introspection. Human rights are only as strong as the commitment we show to protecting the most vulnerable among us. And who are the most vulnerable? Children.
Yes, those small humans with endless questions, questionable fashion choices, and an uncanny ability to locate snacks you swore you hid well. Children are the most defenseless members of our society. They rely on us—adults with varying degrees of responsibility—to ensure that their rights are upheld, their voices are heard, and their potential is nurtured. So, the question we must ask ourselves is: how do we contribute?
The Right to Express, the Right to Dream
One of the most fundamental rights children have is the right to express themselves. Not just in the “Mom, I want ice cream for breakfast” kind of way (which, to be fair, is an admirable attempt at negotiation), but in the deeper, more meaningful sense of cultural and creative expression.
Art, storytelling, music, theatre—these are not luxuries; they are necessities. Through artistic expression, children process their emotions, navigate their realities, and dare to imagine a world beyond the limitations imposed upon them. Yet, too often, we see children’s access to the arts treated as an afterthought, an “extracurricular activity” rather than a fundamental right. How do we ensure that doesn’t happen? How do we make sure every child, regardless of their background, has access to the transformative power of the arts?
Protecting the Stage, Protecting the Future
Theatre, music, and visual arts provide children with tools to develop confidence, critical thinking, and creativity—the very qualities that make societies thrive. But access to these opportunities is shrinking, and the organizations that champion children’s arts education often find themselves at the mercy of unpredictable funding cycles, bureaucratic hurdles, and the dreaded “budget cuts.”
As we witness a world where NGOs and arts institutions fight for survival, the question becomes: how do we get civil society, business, and government to invest meaningfully in children’s artistic and cultural development? If we believe that children are the future, surely we should be ensuring that they are equipped with the imagination and creativity to shape that future? Or do we just want them to inherit spreadsheets and endless Zoom meetings?
The Role of Civic and Corporate Responsibility
Businesses and civic organizations love a good PR moment. They’ll throw money at a cause as long as there’s a big banner with their logo, and a few cameras to capture the CEO shaking hands with wide-eyed children. But what happens after the cameras leave? Are we investing in sustainable programs that continue beyond a press release? Are we lobbying for long-term funding structures that ensure every child, regardless of socio-economic status, has access to arts education?
Investing in children’s artistic and cultural rights isn’t just charity—it’s smart planning. A society that encourages creative expression fosters critical thinkers, problem solvers, and empathetic leaders. And let’s be honest: we could use a few more of those.
If We Want a Better Future, We Must Act Now
It’s simple: how we treat children today determines the society we will have tomorrow. If we deprive them of the right to artistic expression, we silence the voices that could tell the most powerful stories of our time. If we fail to protect their rights, we stunt the growth of future generations. If we do nothing, we will be left wondering why the future looks bleak.
But if we act—if we advocate, fund, support, and fight for children’s rights to express themselves, to create, to dream—we will have done something truly revolutionary. We will have invested in a future that is vibrant, imaginative, and just.
So, as we mark Human Rights Month, let’s not just talk about protecting children’s rights. Let’s actually do it. The stage is set. The lights are on. The future is waiting in the wings.
Now, what role will you play?
– Obett Motaung is an ASSITEJ SA board member and a recipient of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2022. He is a film maker and theatre artist, whose recent production of A Streettaxi named Desiree has been nominated for a Naledi Award.
