Child Poverty in South Africa

Theme:
  • Child Poverty
theme
137
Pages: 38
Year of Publication: 2009
Country: South Africa
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Since 1994, the South African government has made many promises to poor children, committing itself to reducing child poverty and protecting child rights. The South African Constitution identifies an extensive state commitment towards children: to provide for basic needs of nutrition, shelter, basic healthcare services and social services.

Section 28 of the Bill of Rights further establishes the role of the State in protecting children against child abuse and neglect and against participating in exploitative or unsafe work. South Africa is also a signatory to Convention 138 and 182 of the International Labour Organisation. Yet, despite South Africa’s considerable fiscal resources as an upper middle income country and these high level commitments to child wellbeing, many children continue to live in very deprived circumstances. This paper outlines the living conditions of South Africa’s children and their families using recent household sur vey data. While demonstrating the considerable improvements that have been made in certain spheres since the transition to democratic rule in 1994, the paper also shows that there is more that needs to be done if South Africa is to break the cycle of the intergenerational transmission of poverty.

Language: English
Published by: African Child Policy Forum (ACPF)
Author: Ingrid Woolard
Located in: Publications
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