An annual report on Child Gauge 2018 was published earlier this week  by the Children’s Institute (CI) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in relation to families, state and the status of the children’s well-being in South Africa.

The report which is in its 13th year partnered with academic, research-based institutions such as DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development; the University of the Witwatersrand; UNICEF South Africa and Standard Bank Tutuwa Community Foundation.

Children’s Institute director Shanaaz Mathew said as a result of households headed by single mothers, grandparents and great grandparents and the challenges faced “due to rise” in unemployment rates in the country, approximately six million children are starving in South Africa.

“One of the statistics being released indicated that children are still living in poverty, children that should be raised by caregivers as well as the state. The state needs to implement programmes and services that will be beneficial to children and their needs, as well as that of caregivers. That is the kind of interaction we are trying to engage in this edition’’.

Senior researcher at the CI and Child Gauge author Lucy Jamieson said the report mainly focused on children, their families, households and the role played by the state. The people that were most affected were women and children. Violence against women and children was a common occurrence that mostly happens to people within the same household.

“The general definition for caregiver (in the study) is anyone that is actively looking after a child, including the parents,” said Jamieson.

Meanwhile senior researcher at CI and lead editor of the report Katharine Hall said the state recognises the diversity and multi generational nature of many families, but in practice different departments have divergent views of what a family is (or should be) and who is assumed to bear responsibility for children.

Hall said It is clear from the report that more needs to be done. she further said parties  such as government and other stakeholders need to play their part.

“The relevant parties need to work hand in hand with families for the child to be cared for and live in a happy and loving environment for them to thrive,” she said.

Rachel Mohamed