As South Africans pull together to strengthen our young democracy, there is widespread recognition that children and youth are the fabric of the future. The emotional, economic, educational and social needs of our youngest citizens are of paramount importance if they are to reach their full potential and become productive and stable members of South African society.
While the primary responsi- bility for childcare remains with parents, social and institutional structures must lend support to families to ensure that all children are supported in their development and that they have access to both services and opportunities. This requires a coordinated approach to alleviating poverty, addressing the effects of HIV/Aids, creating jobs and building strong social networks.
The OVC concept
The term orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) is a concept that includes all children (under the age of 18) who are vulnerable in the Aids-epidemic context, including, but not only, children orphaned by Aids. Framing child poverty in terms of vulnerability allows for an understanding that takes into account the many dimensions of poverty, including economic, physical and psychosocial deprivation and social exclusion.
As the Aids pandemic worsens, orphanhood is clearly one of the most significant indicators of vulnerability. However, it is often difficult to draw clear distinctions between different degrees of vulnerability and the term OVC reflects an understanding that it is not only Aids orphans who are vulnerable. It also recognises that vulnerable children are more susceptible to many of the risk factors prevalent in contexts of adversity. Within the family context, risk factors relate to income levels, household density, family stability and emotional climate, as well as caregivers’ ability to cope with their environment. Broader risk factors include levels of safety and cohesion in the community and access to facilities and social services.
A snapshot of childhood vulnerability in South Africa
For many South African households, socio-economic conditions remain extremely harsh and life for the majority of our children is a daily struggle against poverty, still a prime indicator of inequality and exclusion. It is estimated that two-thirds (66%) of the total child population (18-million at last count) live in households that have access to a monthly income of R1 200 or less, and as many as 7,5-million children don’t have access to safe water sources, with multiple potential effects on their health.
Hunger is a national scourge to which growing children are particularly vulnerable. In 2005 it was estimated that nearly a quarter (22%) of South African children sometimes, often or always went hungry. Inade-quate nutrition has a devastating impact on child development, including stunted growth, impaired brain function, inability to focus and increased vulnerability to illness.
For many children, access to education is also compromised, particularly in the critical early years, since provision of early childhood development services is not a state function. It is estimated that less than 16% of South African children have access to any form of early learning programme.
The impact of HIV/Aids on childhood vulnerability cannot be overstated. Dealing with Aids, in whatever form, compromises children’s growth and development, especially when they are required to care for dying parents and younger siblings. One of the biggest impacts of the pandemic is the growing numbers of children who have lost parents or caregivers to the disease. A 2005 General Household Survey indicates that approximately 18,6% of all South African children have lost one or both parents to Aids, and that that there are approximately 66 500 child-headed households across South Africa.
A safety net for vulnerable children?
On paper South Africa is committed to upholding children’s rights and providing a safety net for the most vulnerable of our citizens. Government has a range of programmes to alleviate poverty and some, such as the Primary School Nutrition Programme, directly support vulnerable children. The social security system provides for cash grants to children living in poverty, children in foster care and children with severe disabilities.
The reality is that many vulnerable children, especially very young children, are excluded from state programmes and are not eligible for social assistance. The non-profit sector plays a vital role in ensuring that OVC don’t fall through the cracks, in some cases facilitating children’s access to state grants and services, but in many instances delivering services in the many areas where state services fall short.
What can business do?
Supporting OVC is an important way in which companies can make a difference to the communities surrounding their operations, to the social fabric of our young democracy and ultimately to the health of South Africa’s economy. Through their CSI programmes and sustained financial allocations, South African companies can provide valuable support to OVC and to the non-profit organisations which provide indispensible services to them.
Trialogue’s annual research survey for The CSI Handbook shows that South African companies are actively involved in supporting OVC through their CSI programmes.
In 2006/07 corporate support for OVC accounted for nearly a third (29%) of CSI social development expenditure. The vast majority of companies involved in this sector chose to assist orphans (80%) and children in Aids-affected households directly (80%). More than half of the respondents (to Trialogue’s survey) provided food relief and psychosocial support of some form, while providing school fees and uniforms was also a relatively popular area of support. However, less than a quarter of companies (23%) were assisting OVC to access the Child Support Grant, despite this being a pressing need for many children who have no other safety net.
Building resilience at every level
Protecting vulnerable children is a touchstone of a nation’s commitment to democracy and human rights. Children’s rights, as enshrined in the Constitution, will remain a paper right if society as a whole does not take responsibility for their wellbeing. Creating strong networks of support between government, the CSI sector, non-profit service providers and community structures will go a long way to creating a resilient foundation for vulnerable children, giving them every opportunity to enjoy a safe and secure childhood and to participate fully in South Africa’s future.
Trialogue’s 10th edition of The CSI Handbook will be launched at the inaugural Making CSI Matter conference held on 20 and 21 November in Johannesburg