What is the 'South African Child Gauge'?
The South African Child Gauge® is an annual publication of the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. It aims to report on and monitor the situation of children in South Africa, in particularly the realisation of their rights. The publication focuses on a different theme each year.
A number of key features are included every year:
- A series of essays on a theme to inform, focus – and sometimes direct – national dialogue on an issue which has particular impact on children’s rights in South Africa.
- A summary of legislative developments pertaining to children’s rights in the year under review.
- A Children Count – Abantwana Babalulekile data section which tracks statistics on the demographics of children, and their access to social assistance, education, housing, health and other services.
- A reflection on the theme and the status of children in South Africa by a public figure or prominent person.
Why is there a need for it?
The South African Child Gauge® is the only publication which gives an annual snap-shot of the status of South Africa’s children and critically examines the links between their reality, South Africa’s commitment to children's rights, and society’s progress in this regard.
This is done through evidence-based commentary on the situation of children, and unique child-centred data. The set of socio-economic indicators aims at gauging improvements in the situation of children over time.
Who will find it useful?
The South African Child Gauge® presents research evidence in an accessible, non-academic format. It is aimed at multiple audiences:
- Government decision-makers, policy-makers, programme planners and practitioners;
- academics, researchers and students;
- donors and corporate social investment units;
- civil society, in particular children’s sector organisations;
- the news media; and
- human rights watchdogs such as the South African Human Rights Commission.
What were previous themes?
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2013
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Stepping up national development:
Prioritising essential services for young children
This issue highlights the importance of investing early to ensure the optimum development of young children, and defines an essential package of care and support services for young children and their families. A poster that maps the essential services, a policy brief, and a child-friendly summary accompany the publication.
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2012
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Children and inequality:
Closing the gap
The essays in this issue outlines the extent and impact of income inequality on children's living conditions, care arrangements, health and education, and identifies interventions that could break the cycle of poverty and reduce inequality. The book is accompanied by a poster on child-centred indicators on poverty and inequality, a policy brief and a child-friendly summary.
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2010/2011
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Children as citizens:
Participating in social dialogue
The essays in this issue show how participation in health, schools, government and the media can improve service delivery, strengthen democracy and contribute to children's optimal development. The book is accompanied by a double-
sided poster on children's participation, and a plain language summary suitable for children.
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2009/2010 Read more and download
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Healthy children:
From survival to optimal development
This issue highlights the state of child health in South Africa and describes key challenges for child health outcomes. It gives examples of best practice; and makes recommendations that could help realise children's rights to health, survival and optimal development. A poster-
map of South Africa provides data on selected indicators on child health.
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2008/2009
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Meaningful access to basic education
Focuses on the right to education and meaningful access; budgetary frameworks and school-fee waivers; children who are out of school; the relationship between poverty and exclusion; building effective partnerships with communities, and the need for a strong numeracy and literacy foundation. A poster-map gives data on selected education provisioning and outcomes indicators.
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2007/2008 Read more and download
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Children’s right to social services
This issue examines children's right to social services within the context of a developmental social welfare system. It describes and analyses the policies and the law (Children’s Act) that are aimed at giving effect to this right, and explores and makes recommendations on key budgetary, human resource and implementation challenges.
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2006 Read more and download
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Children and poverty
This issue features key findings of the Children’s Institute Means to Live research, which reviewed barriers to access key government poverty alleviation programmes that benefit children. A pull-out poster-map of South Africa provides quick provincial reference to a few key child-centred socio-economic indicators.
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2005 Read more and download
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Children and HIV/AIDS
The first issue drew exclusively on work from Children's Institute research and advocacy projects. It presents essays on antiretroviral roll-out to children; social security for children in a time of AIDS; schools as nodes of care and support for children affected by HIV/AIDS; and on children contextualising their experiences of HIV/AIDS and poverty while participating in the Children's Bill process.
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