OPEN LETTERS

Recent OPEN LETTERS

05 February 2026

Kind Attention:

Mr Johannes Wedenig: UNICEF Representative for South Africa

Email: jwedenig@unicef.org; Pretoria@unicef.org

Dear Mr Wedenig,

I listened with great interest to the speech you delivered last month at the 2026 Basic Education Lekgotla about the need to put ‘earning’ into ‘learning’. As you so rightly say ‘Learning to Earn’ is also about empowering learners with core competencies like self-management, self-esteem, creativity and critical thinking”.

This speaks directly to General Comment 26 Para 35 and the Right of the Child not to be exposed to violence – domestic, societal or against an animal – because of the long-term psychological harm it does to the developing brain. In addition, as set out in my letter to you of 13th January 2026, exposure to any form of violence diminishes innate empathy and normalises violence in the minds of children.

I take the liberty of sending you free hard copy samples of some of our readers for primary school learners. They are all approved by the Department of Basic Education and fall into the Learning Areas of Life Skills and Life Orientation. They are specifically designed to nurture empathy and make violence – of any kind – simply not an option.

Of particular interest, perhaps, is that the reader titled Molo (meaning ‘hello’ in Xhosa) is our most popular reader in the 8 – 10 age group, and deals with the emotional violence inherent in bullying behaviour. Also of interest, perhaps, is that our Empathy Programme at Golden Grove School elevated the Life Orientation marks of the Grade 7 learners by a full 20%. (See the Principal’s confirmation of this as set out in ‘Earth Keepers’ in the parcel).

OPEN LETTER

It would be really wonderful if we could get these booklets into the hands of more children and if you are able to assist in this regard, The Humane Education Trust will be deeply indebted.

Kind Regards,

Louise van der Merwe

Editor | Animal Voice

Managing Trustee | The Humane Education Trust

Director | Nature-Based Education, Cape Town, South Africa

Mobile | 082 457 9177

Email | education@naturebased.online | avoice@yebo.co.za

Website | https://www.naturebased.education/ | https://www.animalvoice.org/

08 April 2026

Kind Attention:
Mr Brent Walters: Head of Education
C/O Personal Assistant: Noleen Nefdt
Email: Eduhead.eduhead@westerncape.gov.za

Tel: 021 467 9280

Dear Mr Walters,

I write in my capacity as Head of The Humane Education Trust (HET) to respectfully request an opportunity to present to you, at your convenience, a brief 30-minute overview on the educational significance of General Comment 26, Paragraph 35 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Through this clarification, the United Nations has taken a profound step toward recognising the importance of shielding children from exposure to violence in all its forms. It opens a vital pathway toward nurturing a more empathetic, compassionate, and socially resilient generation – and education is central to realising this vision.

For more than three decades, HET has developed and delivered educational resources designed to cultivate respect for all life, deepen learners’ understanding of violence – both physical and emotional – and foster empathy as a core life competency. In a country facing deeply entrenched societal violence, and where millions of animals live without care or protection, we believe such education is not supplementary, but essential.

The alignment between our work and the principles underpinning GC26:35 is both natural and urgent. We would value the opportunity to demonstrate how our resources can meaningfully support the Western Cape Education Department’s commitment to developing well-rounded, socially conscious learners.

OPEN LETTER

By way of background, I previously engaged with your predecessor, Mr Brian Schreuder, who facilitated an introduction to the Gauteng Department of Education’s Library Services. Since then, HET’s materials have been formally approved and repeatedly procured as Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM). While we are grateful for this recognition, we believe there is significant scope for broader institutional support within the Western Cape.

Our work has also received endorsement from respected leaders in the fields of child rights and education, including Professor Ann Skelton (University of Pretoria) and Dr Julie Reddy (CEO, South African Qualifications Authority; Deputy Chair, SA National Commission for UNESCO). The most recent edition of our publication, Animal Voice, reflects the growing support for this work. (see www.animalvoice.org) Notably, a recent survey among first-year Sociology students at the University of the Western Cape found that 100% of respondents expressed a wish that animal sentience had been included in their school education.

For your convenience, I have attached a sample resource aligned with GC26:35 to provide a sense of our approach and educational ethos.

Your support in this regard would carry immense value. It would be both a privilege and an honour to present to you and explore how we might contribute to strengthening education for a more compassionate and less violent society.

I thank you sincerely for your time and consideration, and I remain hopeful for the opportunity to engage.