This submission is guided by the principle that children are active agents who, if given the opportunity and in accordance with their evolving capacity, have the ability to meaningfully contribute to various and often complex matters that affect their lives. Therefore, given the far reaching implications of the Prevention and Combating of Crime, Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill on the South African public including children, this submission outlines the views of children who engaged its contents and whose feedback has been pulled together and submitted as part of the civic participatory process. The About MMA and its Child Participants Section provides information on the organisation and the children behind the submission. The Executive Summary highlights the main findings from the children’s engagements. Under General Feedback, broad commentary can be found relating to the group’s views of the Bill in its current form and feedback relating to the definition of hate crimes which is outlined under the Definition Section. Child-driven insights relating to penal sanctions are explored under the Sentencing and Alternatives Section while the Considering Schools section discusses implications of the Bill in the school environment Under Visual Illustrations, the children’s art that accompanied their words is used to further illustrate their perspectives. The last section outlines the Recommendations.

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