What we are reading...

This article illustrates food insecurity in South Africa through seven real-life meals, showing how limited household resources affect dietary diversity, nutrient intake, and regular access to food. It highlights the links between poverty, nutrition, child development, and health, reinforcing NSAAC’s focus on food security, nutrition, and the broader determinants of health

This article illustrates food insecurity in South Africa through seven real-life meals, showing how limited household resources affect dietary diversity, nutrient intake, and regular access to food. It highlights the links between poverty, nutrition, child development, and health, reinforcing NSAAC’s focus on food security, nutrition, and the broader determinants of health

This article examines how food loss in South Africa begins well before food reaches cold-storage facilities, with losses occurring through harvesting, handling, packaging, transport, storage, and supply-chain disruptions. It highlights opportunities to improve logistics, data sharing, cold-chain capacity, and food rescue, supporting NSAAC’s focus on food security, nutrition, and reducing barriers to reliable access to nutritious food.

This article examines how food loss in South Africa begins well before food reaches cold-storage facilities, with losses occurring through harvesting, handling, packaging, transport, storage, and supply-chain disruptions. It highlights opportunities to improve logistics, data sharing, cold-chain capacity, and food rescue, supporting NSAAC’s focus on food security, nutrition, and reducing barriers to reliable access to nutritious food.

This study examine the prevalence and correlates of cyberbullying among South African adolescents, highlighting an important child-protection and wellbeing concern. This aligns with the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), which emphasises coordinated action to improve children’s wellbeing, protection and development across the environments in which they live, learn and interact. Cyberbullying extends these environments into digital spaces, making online safety, prevention and appropriate support increasingly relevant to achieving broader child-centred protection and wellbeing outcomes.

This study examine the prevalence and correlates of cyberbullying among South African adolescents, highlighting an important child-protection and wellbeing concern. This aligns with the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), which emphasises coordinated action to improve children’s wellbeing, protection and development across the environments in which they live, learn and interact. Cyberbullying extends these environments into digital spaces, making online safety, prevention and appropriate support increasingly relevant to achieving broader child-centred protection and wellbeing outcomes.

This is an article reporting research from Cape Town showing that babies born to mothers with anaemia had, on average, smaller brain volumes, including differences in regions linked to learning, movement, and emotional regulation. The findings reinforce NSAAC’s focus on maternal and child nutrition, highlighting the importance of preventing anaemia and supporting healthy early-life development.

This is an article reporting research from Cape Town showing that babies born to mothers with anaemia had, on average, smaller brain volumes, including differences in regions linked to learning, movement, and emotional regulation. The findings reinforce NSAAC’s focus on maternal and child nutrition, highlighting the importance of preventing anaemia and supporting healthy early-life development.

This is a study examining the relationship between maternal anaemia during pregnancy and infant brain development using high-field and ultra-low-field MRI. It found that maternal anaemia was associated with smaller brain volumes and changes in specific brain structures during the first two years of life, reinforcing NSAAC’s focus on maternal nutrition, anaemia prevention, and healthy early-childhood development.

This is a study examining the relationship between maternal anaemia during pregnancy and infant brain development using high-field and ultra-low-field MRI. It found that maternal anaemia was associated with smaller brain volumes and changes in specific brain structures during the first two years of life, reinforcing NSAAC’s focus on maternal nutrition, anaemia prevention, and healthy early-childhood development.

This is an article examining who controls South Africa’s food system and how concentrated corporate, financial, infrastructure, and digital power shapes food production, distribution, and access. It highlights concerns about food security, affordability, small-scale producers, and the influence of powerful private interests on the country’s food system. NSAAC: It is relevant to NSAAC’s focus on addressing structural factors that influence health, nutrition, food security, and wellbeing.

This is an article examining who controls South Africa’s food system and how concentrated corporate, financial, infrastructure, and digital power shapes food production, distribution, and access. It highlights concerns about food security, affordability, small-scale producers, and the influence of powerful private interests on the country’s food system. NSAAC: It is relevant to NSAAC’s focus on addressing structural factors that influence health, nutrition, food security, and wellbeing.

This is a report examining how corporate power, financialisation, and digitalisation shape South Africa’s food system, influencing food security, affordability, inequality, and ecological sustainability. For NSAAC, it is relevant because it links these structural food-system factors to nutrition, health, and food access, highlighting the need to address the commercial and social determinants that shape dietary outcomes.

This is a report examining how corporate power, financialisation, and digitalisation shape South Africa’s food system, influencing food security, affordability, inequality, and ecological sustainability. For NSAAC, it is relevant because it links these structural food-system factors to nutrition, health, and food access, highlighting the need to address the commercial and social determinants that shape dietary outcomes.

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** please add cover and update for reading list

This brief examines how artificial intelligence could support or undermine African languages in South African education, with particular attention to Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE). It highlights opportunities for AI to expand language resources, improve teaching and learning, and strengthen multilingual education, while identifying risks including linguistic bias, limited datasets, and unequal access. These issues are highly relevant to NSAAC’s work, particularly its focus on strengthening African languages, inclusive education, and equitable access to knowledge and technology.

This brief examines how artificial intelligence could support or undermine African languages in South African education, with particular attention to Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE). It highlights opportunities for AI to expand language resources, improve teaching and learning, and strengthen multilingual education, while identifying risks including linguistic bias, limited datasets, and unequal access. These issues are highly relevant to NSAAC’s work, particularly its focus on strengthening African languages, inclusive education, and equitable access to knowledge and technology.

This study examines congenital syphilis notifications and rapid plasma reagin (RPR)-positive results among children under two years in South Africa during 2023–2024, using national Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System data. It identifies patterns in case detection, testing and reporting across provinces, districts and health facilities, highlighting gaps that may affect prevention and timely treatment. The findings are relevant to NSAAC’s child health priorities by supporting stronger disease surveillance, prevention of avoidable child morbidity and mortality, and improved maternal and child healthcare.

This study examines congenital syphilis notifications and rapid plasma reagin (RPR)-positive results among children under two years in South Africa during 2023–2024, using national Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System data. It identifies patterns in case detection, testing and reporting across provinces, districts and health facilities, highlighting gaps that may affect prevention and timely treatment. The findings are relevant to NSAAC’s child health priorities by supporting stronger disease surveillance, prevention of avoidable child morbidity and mortality, and improved maternal and child healthcare.

This study led by Midlands Community College and Sesame Workshop International South Africa examines how children aged 0–5, caregivers and ECD practitioners understand and experience climate change. Running from June 2026 to February 2027, the research will generate baseline evidence on climate-related risks, children’s wellbeing, learning environments and the support families and practitioners need. The study directly supports NSAAC priorities to strengthen families and enable parents and caregivers to care for their children, and to grow children’s brain power through early learning and language development. By examining climate impacts on young children and ECD settings, it also contributes to enabling every child to thrive and reducing inequality.

This study led by Midlands Community College and Sesame Workshop International South Africa examines how children aged 0–5, caregivers and ECD practitioners understand and experience climate change. Running from June 2026 to February 2027, the research will generate baseline evidence on climate-related risks, children’s wellbeing, learning environments and the support families and practitioners need. The study directly supports NSAAC priorities to strengthen families and enable parents and caregivers to care for their children, and to grow children’s brain power through early learning and language development. By examining climate impacts on young children and ECD settings, it also contributes to enabling every child to thrive and reducing inequality.

This strategy provides a coordinated framework for improving outcomes for children in South Africa. It prioritises integrated services, child protection, health, education, nutrition, social development and participation. The strategy promotes stronger collaboration across government and stakeholders, aiming to address inequalities and ensure children’s rights, wellbeing and development through coordinated, evidence-based action and strengthened systems.

This strategy provides a coordinated framework for improving outcomes for children in South Africa. It prioritises integrated services, child protection, health, education, nutrition, social development and participation. The strategy promotes stronger collaboration across government and stakeholders, aiming to address inequalities and ensure children’s rights, wellbeing and development through coordinated, evidence-based action and strengthened systems.

This is a dialogue brief exploring child participation and the role of faith-based spaces in ensuring children are seen, heard, and meaningfully included. It highlights the importance of creating safe, supportive environments where children can express their views and influence decisions affecting them. The brief encourages faith communities to strengthen child-centred participation and protection.

This is a dialogue brief exploring child participation and the role of faith-based spaces in ensuring children are seen, heard, and meaningfully included. It highlights the importance of creating safe, supportive environments where children can express their views and influence decisions affecting them. The brief encourages faith communities to strengthen child-centred participation and protection.

This 2026 dialogue brief shares insights from course participants on survivor-led education for transformation. It highlights how centering survivor testimonies and re-examining religious or cultural beliefs can heal participants, challenge harmful social norms, and help end violence against children in faith communities

This 2026 dialogue brief shares insights from course participants on survivor-led education for transformation. It highlights how centering survivor testimonies and re-examining religious or cultural beliefs can heal participants, challenge harmful social norms, and help end violence against children in faith communities

This is an article highlighting the challenges facing blind and deaf children in South Africa’s early childhood development (ECD) system. It points to gaps in reliable data, dedicated funding, clear implementation deadlines, and inclusive services. The article underscores the need for stronger planning, investment, coordination, and targeted support to ensure children with disabilities access appropriate ECD services.

This is an article highlighting the challenges facing blind and deaf children in South Africa’s early childhood development (ECD) system. It points to gaps in reliable data, dedicated funding, clear implementation deadlines, and inclusive services. The article underscores the need for stronger planning, investment, coordination, and targeted support to ensure children with disabilities access appropriate ECD services.

This is a scoping review of whole-of-community and intersectoral interventions addressing alcohol-related harms. It examines how collaboration across health, government, social services, communities, and other sectors can reduce alcohol-related harm. The review highlights the importance of community participation, locally tailored approaches, supportive policies, and coordinated action in developing effective, sustainable interventions.

This is a scoping review of whole-of-community and intersectoral interventions addressing alcohol-related harms. It examines how collaboration across health, government, social services, communities, and other sectors can reduce alcohol-related harm. The review highlights the importance of community participation, locally tailored approaches, supportive policies, and coordinated action in developing effective, sustainable interventions.

This is a set of South Africa-focused fact sheets explaining how raising alcohol taxes can reduce alcohol-related harm. It highlights taxation as an evidence-based policy tool to decrease alcohol consumption, prevent alcohol-related health and social harms, and generate government revenue. The resource provides accessible evidence supporting stronger alcohol pricing and taxation policies in South Africa.

This is a set of South Africa-focused fact sheets explaining how raising alcohol taxes can reduce alcohol-related harm. It highlights taxation as an evidence-based policy tool to decrease alcohol consumption, prevent alcohol-related health and social harms, and generate government revenue. The resource provides accessible evidence supporting stronger alcohol pricing and taxation policies in South Africa.

With their relative administrative simplicity and scalability, cash transfers have become a cornerstone of anti-poverty policy in low- and middle-income countries. This Commentary synthesises the current evidence on their impacts and situates these findings within ongoing debates about expanding cash transfers in South Africa – not only as a means of protecting vulnerable households from hardship, but also as a potential instrument for advancing social justice and enabling deeper socio-economic transformation.

With their relative administrative simplicity and scalability, cash transfers have become a cornerstone of anti-poverty policy in low- and middle-income countries. This Commentary synthesises the current evidence on their impacts and situates these findings within ongoing debates about expanding cash transfers in South Africa – not only as a means of protecting vulnerable households from hardship, but also as a potential instrument for advancing social justice and enabling deeper socio-economic transformation.

This practical guide supports families in navigating children’s digital lives safely and positively. It offers advice on screen time, online safety, digital wellbeing, privacy, critical thinking, and responsible technology use. The guide encourages parents to communicate openly with children, establish healthy digital habits, and help them develop skills for meaningful participation in a connected world.

This practical guide supports families in navigating children’s digital lives safely and positively. It offers advice on screen time, online safety, digital wellbeing, privacy, critical thinking, and responsible technology use. The guide encourages parents to communicate openly with children, establish healthy digital habits, and help them develop skills for meaningful participation in a connected world.

This report explains why the prenatal-to-3 period is foundational for lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing. It highlights rapid brain development, the importance of nurturing relationships, responsive caregiving, nutrition, and early experiences. It also emphasizes evidence-based policies and investments that support families, reduce adversity, and improve developmental outcomes for children.

This report explains why the prenatal-to-3 period is foundational for lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing. It highlights rapid brain development, the importance of nurturing relationships, responsive caregiving, nutrition, and early experiences. It also emphasizes evidence-based policies and investments that support families, reduce adversity, and improve developmental outcomes for children.

This report shows that play is essential to young children’s learning, development and relationships, yet millions miss out on play with caregivers or access to playthings. Drawing on data from nearly 100 countries, it highlights inequalities linked to poverty, education and location, and calls for stronger support for families and safe opportunities to play.

This report shows that play is essential to young children’s learning, development and relationships, yet millions miss out on play with caregivers or access to playthings. Drawing on data from nearly 100 countries, it highlights inequalities linked to poverty, education and location, and calls for stronger support for families and safe opportunities to play.

This infographic highlights why the earliest years of life matter for lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing. It explains that early experiences shape brain architecture, biological systems, and developmental outcomes. Responsive caregiving, safe environments, and supportive policies during early childhood create strong foundations, while adversity can have lasting effects across the lifespan.

This infographic highlights why the earliest years of life matter for lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing. It explains that early experiences shape brain architecture, biological systems, and developmental outcomes. Responsive caregiving, safe environments, and supportive policies during early childhood create strong foundations, while adversity can have lasting effects across the lifespan.

This explains how a baby's brain develops rapidly from pregnancy through the first years of life. It highlights how responsive caregiving, secure relationships, play, language, nutrition, and everyday interactions strengthen brain connections, while chronic stress and adversity can disrupt healthy development and affect lifelong learning, behaviour, and health.

This explains how a baby's brain develops rapidly from pregnancy through the first years of life. It highlights how responsive caregiving, secure relationships, play, language, nutrition, and everyday interactions strengthen brain connections, while chronic stress and adversity can disrupt healthy development and affect lifelong learning, behaviour, and health.

This podcast explores how becoming a parent transforms the human mind, body, and identity. Through conversations with leading researchers and experts, it examines the science of parenthood, including brain changes, caregiving, relationships, and the importance of supporting parents to promote healthy child development and family wellbeing.

This podcast explores how becoming a parent transforms the human mind, body, and identity. Through conversations with leading researchers and experts, it examines the science of parenthood, including brain changes, caregiving, relationships, and the importance of supporting parents to promote healthy child development and family wellbeing.

This provides detailed district and subdistrict health profiles for South Africa, presenting key indicators on population health, disease burden, service delivery, healthcare resources, and health outcomes. It supports evidence-based planning, monitoring, and decision-making by identifying geographic disparities and priorities for strengthening district health systems.

This provides detailed district and subdistrict health profiles for South Africa, presenting key indicators on population health, disease burden, service delivery, healthcare resources, and health outcomes. It supports evidence-based planning, monitoring, and decision-making by identifying geographic disparities and priorities for strengthening district health systems.

This report examines global progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition, highlighting persistent food insecurity and the rising cost of healthy diets. It analyses the drivers of unaffordable nutritious food, including inflation, conflict, climate change, and inequality, and recommends policies to improve affordability, strengthen food systems, and promote equitable access to healthy diets.

This report examines global progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition, highlighting persistent food insecurity and the rising cost of healthy diets. It analyses the drivers of unaffordable nutritious food, including inflation, conflict, climate change, and inequality, and recommends policies to improve affordability, strengthen food systems, and promote equitable access to healthy diets.

This is about minors who use drugs, particularly those who inject drugs, face increased risks of HIV, hepatitis C and other health harms. Despite evidence supporting harm reduction approaches, access to services such as needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) remains limited for minors in South Africa.

This is about minors who use drugs, particularly those who inject drugs, face increased risks of HIV, hepatitis C and other health harms. Despite evidence supporting harm reduction approaches, access to services such as needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) remains limited for minors in South Africa.

This book connects Madiba’s values to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 goals that countries around the world created to make life better for everyone by protecting our planet, improving health and education, reducing poverty, promoting peace, and making sure no one is left behind.

This book connects Madiba’s values to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 goals that countries around the world created to make life better for everyone by protecting our planet, improving health and education, reducing poverty, promoting peace, and making sure no one is left behind.

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis examining growth outcomes among children who are HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU). It finds that HEU children may experience poorer growth outcomes compared with HIV-unexposed children, highlighting the importance of monitoring nutrition and growth. The review emphasizes the need for targeted interventions and continued research to improve outcomes for these children.

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis examining growth outcomes among children who are HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU). It finds that HEU children may experience poorer growth outcomes compared with HIV-unexposed children, highlighting the importance of monitoring nutrition and growth. The review emphasizes the need for targeted interventions and continued research to improve outcomes for these children.

This issue puts stunting in South Africa front and centre, unpacking the evidence, the opportunities and the practical actions needed to tackle it.

This issue puts stunting in South Africa front and centre, unpacking the evidence, the opportunities and the practical actions needed to tackle it.