URGENT CALL TO ACTION: STAKEHOLDERS GATHER FOR THE NATIONAL STRATEGY TO IMPROVE CHILD WELFARE

• At the consultation workshop for the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), stakeholders gathered to address the urgent need for enhanced child rights governance in South Africa.
• Acting Director-General of the Department of Social Development, Peter Netshiphale,  highlighted the country’s troubling child welfare statistics, including high rates of poverty, violence, and malnutrition among children.
• The NSAAC aims to strengthen intersectoral coordination, establish public-private partnerships, and align national priorities to ensure a comprehensive response to the challenges facing South Africa’s children. With an emphasis on collaboration and accountability, the strategy seeks to mobilise collective efforts to place children’s rights at the forefront of national development.

If there is any age group in a nation which has both the risks and possibilities of the future concentrated upon it, it is the children and teenagers. In the president’s inauguration speech, he stated that, “this is a moment of fundamental consequence in the life of our nation. It is a moment when we choose to either move forward together or risk losing all that we have built”. In a significant gathering aimed at addressing the urgent needs of children across South Africa, stakeholders convened for the consultation workshop on the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC). The initiative brought together representatives from government, labour, civil society, and the private sector, emphasising the collaborative effort required to build a brighter future for the nation’s youth.

Opening the session, Peter Netshiphale underscored the critical importance of the NSAAC, especially in light of various serious incidents affecting children throughout the country. The workshop follows a facilitated process by The Presidency to accelerate action on child rights delivery, marking a pivotal step towards improving the situation for South Africa’s children.

Mr Netshiphale articulated the goals of the NSAAC, stating, “This process is necessary and important as it is designed to strengthen coordination and institutional mechanisms for child rights governance in South Africa.” The strategy aims to:

1. Strengthen coordination and institutional mechanisms for child rights governance.
2. Establish intersectoral mechanisms aligned with the 7th Administration priorities to address key thematic areas.
3. Enhance public-private partnerships to support child welfare initiatives.

Since the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1995, South Africa has developed and implemented four national plans of action for children. However, the current situation remains dire, demanding an urgent response from all sectors of society.

Statistics reveal alarming challenges facing children in South Africa. In 2022, 7.9 million children—38% of all children in the country—lived below the food poverty line. Additionally, one in three children experiences violence before turning 18, and 27% of children under five are stunted, with severe malnutrition linked to a quarter of childhood hospital deaths. These figures paint a grim picture of child wellbeing, compounded by issues of hunger and inadequate education.

“South Africa is not meeting key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and essential child wellbeing indicators,” Mr Netshiphale noted. “We must take swift action to turn this situation around.”

The NSAAC aims to mobilise the country to prioritise children in developmental agendas. Key objectives include building a common understanding of national priorities for children, facilitating effective interfaces with civil society and the private sector, and strengthening institutional mechanisms and accountability.

Over the next two days, the workshop is expected to foster inclusive sectoral planning and establish overarching recovery guidelines. Participants will work towards aligning the National Plan of Action for Children, currently under review, with the NSAAC and clarifying governance structures for child rights across all levels of government.

In closing, Mr Netshiphale  welcomed all attendees, including representatives from the children’s sector, civil society organisations, and government departments. “Your hard work over these two days will heighten our interventions towards promoting children’s rights,” she stated, emphasising the importance of collective action in addressing the pressing challenges facing South Africa’s youth.

As stakeholders engage in productive discussions, the NSAAC represents a vital framework for ensuring that children’s rights are at the forefront of national development efforts.