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This issue presents a set of learning briefs focused on improving early childhood development in South Africa. It highlights challenges such as malnutrition, unequal access to early learning programmes, and gaps in developmental outcomes, while drawing on evidence and programme insights to show how targeted interventions can improve children’s health, learning readiness, and long-term development.

This issue presents a set of learning briefs focused on improving early childhood development in South Africa. It highlights challenges such as malnutrition, unequal access to early learning programmes, and gaps in developmental outcomes, while drawing on evidence and programme insights to show how targeted interventions can improve children’s health, learning readiness, and long-term development.

This article explores factors enabling successful scaling of early parenting interventions through qualitative interviews with international experts. They identify key enablers including sustainable funding models, stakeholder buy-in, adaptable yet fidelity-focused implementation, strong multidisciplinary teams, and systems integration. The study emphasises scaling as a complex, long-term, and context-dependent process requiring strategic planning.

This article explores factors enabling successful scaling of early parenting interventions through qualitative interviews with international experts. They identify key enablers including sustainable funding models, stakeholder buy-in, adaptable yet fidelity-focused implementation, strong multidisciplinary teams, and systems integration. The study emphasises scaling as a complex, long-term, and context-dependent process requiring strategic planning.

This report presents a national background report for the 2030 Reading Panel synthesising new evidence on early-grade literacy in South Africa. Drawing on large-scale survey data, it shows that most learners are not yet reading at expected levels, highlights wide inequalities across provinces and languages, and reviews system constraints and emerging interventions. The report stresses coordinated national action, sustained funding, and scaling evidence-based literacy programmes to improve foundational reading outcomes by 2030.

This report presents a national background report for the 2030 Reading Panel synthesising new evidence on early-grade literacy in South Africa. Drawing on large-scale survey data, it shows that most learners are not yet reading at expected levels, highlights wide inequalities across provinces and languages, and reviews system constraints and emerging interventions. The report stresses coordinated national action, sustained funding, and scaling evidence-based literacy programmes to improve foundational reading outcomes by 2030.

This report examines child poverty in South Africa using the MODA approach, measuring multiple deprivations beyond income. It finds slight improvements from 2015–2023, but over half of children remain poor. Poverty is shaped by inequality, geography, and household conditions, with persistent disparities despite gains in income-based poverty reduction.

This report examines child poverty in South Africa using the MODA approach, measuring multiple deprivations beyond income. It finds slight improvements from 2015–2023, but over half of children remain poor. Poverty is shaped by inequality, geography, and household conditions, with persistent disparities despite gains in income-based poverty reduction.

This guide walks adults through everything from adolescent brain development to navigating peer pressure, mental health, and social media, providing practical and simple tools adults can use to support their teens as they grow. When teenagers feel safe, seen, heard, and supported by their loved ones, they are more likely to stay in school, make safer choices, and build towards a positive future. This guide helps adults do exactly that.

This guide walks adults through everything from adolescent brain development to navigating peer pressure, mental health, and social media, providing practical and simple tools adults can use to support their teens as they grow. When teenagers feel safe, seen, heard, and supported by their loved ones, they are more likely to stay in school, make safer choices, and build towards a positive future. This guide helps adults do exactly that.

This report traces the development of antenatal HIV and syphilis sentinel surveillance in South Africa from 1990 to 2022. It highlights its role in tracking prevalence, guiding policy, and improving maternal health. The authors discuss challenges, data gaps, and propose integrating surveillance systems to strengthen future monitoring and response efforts.

This report traces the development of antenatal HIV and syphilis sentinel surveillance in South Africa from 1990 to 2022. It highlights its role in tracking prevalence, guiding policy, and improving maternal health. The authors discuss challenges, data gaps, and propose integrating surveillance systems to strengthen future monitoring and response efforts.

This article examines South Africa’s Child Support Grant as a tool shifting from child-focused relief to broader women’s empowerment. It shows how grants improve household welfare, strengthen women’s financial control, and support livelihoods in rural areas, while highlighting ongoing structural challenges that limit transformative impacts on poverty and gender inequality.

This article examines South Africa’s Child Support Grant as a tool shifting from child-focused relief to broader women’s empowerment. It shows how grants improve household welfare, strengthen women’s financial control, and support livelihoods in rural areas, while highlighting ongoing structural challenges that limit transformative impacts on poverty and gender inequality.

This report highlights large-scale food fortification as a highly cost-effective strategy to reduce global micronutrient deficiencies. It shows current programmes prevent billions of nutrient gaps annually but have untapped potential. Expanding coverage, improving compliance, and strengthening policies could significantly increase impact, reaching more vulnerable populations worldwide.

This report highlights large-scale food fortification as a highly cost-effective strategy to reduce global micronutrient deficiencies. It shows current programmes prevent billions of nutrient gaps annually but have untapped potential. Expanding coverage, improving compliance, and strengthening policies could significantly increase impact, reaching more vulnerable populations worldwide.

This modelling study evaluates large-scale food fortification programmes, showing they significantly reduce micronutrient deficiencies at relatively low cost. It estimates substantial health benefits across populations and finds fortification highly cost-effective. The authors emphasize scaling up programmes, improving implementation, and targeting vulnerable groups to maximize nutritional and economic impacts globally.

This modelling study evaluates large-scale food fortification programmes, showing they significantly reduce micronutrient deficiencies at relatively low cost. It estimates substantial health benefits across populations and finds fortification highly cost-effective. The authors emphasize scaling up programmes, improving implementation, and targeting vulnerable groups to maximize nutritional and economic impacts globally.

This is a summary of a technical brief and FAQ outlining quality standards for UNIMMAP multiple micronutrient supplements. It explains requirements for manufacturing, testing, packaging, and regulatory compliance, helping ensure safe, effective, and consistent products while guiding countries, suppliers, and programmes in maintaining high-quality maternal nutrition interventions.

This is a summary of a technical brief and FAQ outlining quality standards for UNIMMAP multiple micronutrient supplements. It explains requirements for manufacturing, testing, packaging, and regulatory compliance, helping ensure safe, effective, and consistent products while guiding countries, suppliers, and programmes in maintaining high-quality maternal nutrition interventions.

This is a UNICEF-published technical brief and FAQ outlining updated quality standards for UNIMMAP multiple micronutrient supplements. It highlights manufacturing, testing, and compliance requirements to ensure safe, effective products, supporting countries, suppliers, and programmes in delivering consistent, high-quality supplements for improved maternal nutrition outcomes.

This is a UNICEF-published technical brief and FAQ outlining updated quality standards for UNIMMAP multiple micronutrient supplements. It highlights manufacturing, testing, and compliance requirements to ensure safe, effective products, supporting countries, suppliers, and programmes in delivering consistent, high-quality supplements for improved maternal nutrition outcomes.

A new pilot study from Pakistan demonstrated that distributing multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) through its existing public health system is feasible and can effectively reach pregnant women. Led by the Junaid Family Foundation and Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, the initiative integrated MMS into routine antenatal care (ANC) by utilizing Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and public facilities.

A new pilot study from Pakistan demonstrated that distributing multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) through its existing public health system is feasible and can effectively reach pregnant women. Led by the Junaid Family Foundation and Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, the initiative integrated MMS into routine antenatal care (ANC) by utilizing Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and public facilities.

This is a narrative review comparing acceptability of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements with iron and folic acid supplementation. It finds MMS is generally well accepted, with similar or better adherence, fewer side effects, and positive perceptions among pregnant individuals, supporting its feasibility for wider implementation in maternal nutrition programmes globally.

This is a narrative review comparing acceptability of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements with iron and folic acid supplementation. It finds MMS is generally well accepted, with similar or better adherence, fewer side effects, and positive perceptions among pregnant individuals, supporting its feasibility for wider implementation in maternal nutrition programmes globally.

This is a policy brief on South Africa’s retail food sector, highlighting how retailer practices affect diets. It calls for stronger policies to promote healthier products, improve affordability and availability, enhance transparency, and encourage responsible marketing to support better nutrition and public health outcomes.

This is a policy brief on South Africa’s retail food sector, highlighting how retailer practices affect diets. It calls for stronger policies to promote healthier products, improve affordability and availability, enhance transparency, and encourage responsible marketing to support better nutrition and public health outcomes.

This country report assesses South Africa’s retail food environment, examining how major retailers influence access to nutritious foods through product availability, pricing, and promotions. It finds most products are unhealthy, healthier options are less accessible and affordable, and stronger retailer policies are needed.

This country report assesses South Africa’s retail food environment, examining how major retailers influence access to nutritious foods through product availability, pricing, and promotions. It finds most products are unhealthy, healthier options are less accessible and affordable, and stronger retailer policies are needed.

This is an evaluation of how global food retailers shape consumer diets through product portfolios, pricing, placement, and promotions. It finds retailers often prioritise less healthy options, with limited commitments to nutrition, and urges stronger accountability, transparency, and strategies to improve access to healthier foods.

This is an evaluation of how global food retailers shape consumer diets through product portfolios, pricing, placement, and promotions. It finds retailers often prioritise less healthy options, with limited commitments to nutrition, and urges stronger accountability, transparency, and strategies to improve access to healthier foods.

This edited volume examines how parents and caregivers shape educational outcomes across South Africa. Drawing on research, policy analysis and case studies, the book explores challenges facing families, schools and communities, while highlighting practical strategies for collaboration. It emphasises that stronger parental involvement can improve educational equity, learner development, school relationships and long-term academic success.

This edited volume examines how parents and caregivers shape educational outcomes across South Africa. Drawing on research, policy analysis and case studies, the book explores challenges facing families, schools and communities, while highlighting practical strategies for collaboration. It emphasises that stronger parental involvement can improve educational equity, learner development, school relationships and long-term academic success.

This Spotlight article highlights delayed diagnosis of hearing loss in South African babies. It reports that thousands are affected annually, yet few receive early screening, leading to late detection after critical developmental stages, with negative impacts on language, learning, and long-term outcomes, underscoring need for universal screening.

This Spotlight article highlights delayed diagnosis of hearing loss in South African babies. It reports that thousands are affected annually, yet few receive early screening, leading to late detection after critical developmental stages, with negative impacts on language, learning, and long-term outcomes, underscoring need for universal screening.

This is a summary of a Sight and Life nutrition series piece emphasising adolescence as a critical yet often overlooked window for nutrition. It highlights increased nutrient needs, links to growth and development, and calls for targeted interventions to improve diets, break intergenerational malnutrition, and support long-term health outcomes.

This is a summary of a Sight and Life nutrition series piece emphasising adolescence as a critical yet often overlooked window for nutrition. It highlights increased nutrient needs, links to growth and development, and calls for targeted interventions to improve diets, break intergenerational malnutrition, and support long-term health outcomes.

This is article advocates for universal newborn hearing screening in South Africa. It highlights that many children experience delayed diagnosis, affecting language and cognitive development, and calls for national policies, early detection programs, and increased awareness to ensure timely intervention and improved long-term outcomes.

This is article advocates for universal newborn hearing screening in South Africa. It highlights that many children experience delayed diagnosis, affecting language and cognitive development, and calls for national policies, early detection programs, and increased awareness to ensure timely intervention and improved long-term outcomes.

This is a summary of a Daily Maverick article emphasizing translating South Africa’s national nutrition commitments into community-level actions during a child’s first 1,000 days. It highlights strategies to prevent stunting, improve maternal and child nutrition, and mobilize local stakeholders, linking early interventions to long-term health, development, and national targets for 2030.

This is a summary of a Daily Maverick article emphasizing translating South Africa’s national nutrition commitments into community-level actions during a child’s first 1,000 days. It highlights strategies to prevent stunting, improve maternal and child nutrition, and mobilize local stakeholders, linking early interventions to long-term health, development, and national targets for 2030.

This is a summary of a Daily Maverick opinion piece by De Wet Swanepoel highlighting South Africa’s shortcomings in early hearing detection. It emphasizes that delayed identification of hearing loss in infants contributes to learning gaps, advocates for universal newborn screening, and stresses timely intervention to support language development and educational outcomes.

This is a summary of a Daily Maverick opinion piece by De Wet Swanepoel highlighting South Africa’s shortcomings in early hearing detection. It emphasizes that delayed identification of hearing loss in infants contributes to learning gaps, advocates for universal newborn screening, and stresses timely intervention to support language development and educational outcomes.

This is a summary of the South African Speech‑Language‑Hearing Association page on World Hearing Day, an annual global advocacy event held on 3 March to raise awareness about preventing hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care. The SASLHA page shares free downloadable awareness posters in multiple South African languages aimed at supporting communities and schools to protect children’s hearing and learning, aligned with the 2026 World Hearing Day theme “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for every child” as championed by the World Health Organization.

This is a summary of the South African Speech‑Language‑Hearing Association page on World Hearing Day, an annual global advocacy event held on 3 March to raise awareness about preventing hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care. The SASLHA page shares free downloadable awareness posters in multiple South African languages aimed at supporting communities and schools to protect children’s hearing and learning, aligned with the 2026 World Hearing Day theme “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for every child” as championed by the World Health Organization.

This article highlights the growing global burden of disabling hearing loss, affecting nearly 466 million people, including millions of children. It emphasizes the importance of universal newborn and infant hearing screening programs to enable early detection, diagnosis, and intervention. Effective screening systems, strong policies, and accessible audiological services are essential to reduce long-term impacts of childhood hearing loss.

This article highlights the growing global burden of disabling hearing loss, affecting nearly 466 million people, including millions of children. It emphasizes the importance of universal newborn and infant hearing screening programs to enable early detection, diagnosis, and intervention. Effective screening systems, strong policies, and accessible audiological services are essential to reduce long-term impacts of childhood hearing loss.

This article explores why many South African teenage girls drink alcohol despite knowing the harms. It finds drinking as a way to feel part of social groups and “for the vibes,” driven by peer pressure, easy access, and cultural norms. The author highlights the emotional, financial and social costs that extend beyond hangovers.

This article explores why many South African teenage girls drink alcohol despite knowing the harms. It finds drinking as a way to feel part of social groups and “for the vibes,” driven by peer pressure, easy access, and cultural norms. The author highlights the emotional, financial and social costs that extend beyond hangovers.

This report from Movendi International reveals how multinational alcohol companies coordinated global interference throughout 2025, intensifying political lobbying, narrative control, and digital promotion to delay evidence-based alcohol policy. Based on 1,300 monitored cases and 77 studies, it exposes systematic tactics that protect industry interests at the expense of public health and equity.

This report from Movendi International reveals how multinational alcohol companies coordinated global interference throughout 2025, intensifying political lobbying, narrative control, and digital promotion to delay evidence-based alcohol policy. Based on 1,300 monitored cases and 77 studies, it exposes systematic tactics that protect industry interests at the expense of public health and equity.

This study developed a flexible, tiered same-day screening model for preschoolers in low-resource early childhood education settings. Using participatory feedback, the model streamlines visits, shortens assessments, and tailors developmental and health screening to each child’s readiness, enhancing feasibility, cultural responsiveness and early identification for referral in low- and middle-income contexts.

This study developed a flexible, tiered same-day screening model for preschoolers in low-resource early childhood education settings. Using participatory feedback, the model streamlines visits, shortens assessments, and tailors developmental and health screening to each child’s readiness, enhancing feasibility, cultural responsiveness and early identification for referral in low- and middle-income contexts.

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that strengthening alcohol control policies like higher taxes, minimum unit pricing, and limited sales days generally reduces overall alcohol consumption. Pricing policies showed the largest effect, especially among low-income drinkers, though evidence on impacts across gender, socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups remains limited.

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that strengthening alcohol control policies like higher taxes, minimum unit pricing, and limited sales days generally reduces overall alcohol consumption. Pricing policies showed the largest effect, especially among low-income drinkers, though evidence on impacts across gender, socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups remains limited.

This article argues that Africa must lead its own early childhood development agenda using locally relevant data. It highlights progress in data availability but notes persistent gaps and risks for children. The authors call for stronger investment, better data systems, and evidence-based policies to improve child development outcomes across the continent.

This article argues that Africa must lead its own early childhood development agenda using locally relevant data. It highlights progress in data availability but notes persistent gaps and risks for children. The authors call for stronger investment, better data systems, and evidence-based policies to improve child development outcomes across the continent.

This article describes a mixed-methods study in Cambodia that tested three behavioral interventions family support, tracking calendar, and educational videos to improve pregnant women’s adherence to daily multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) and promote healthy practices. Family involvement was most valued; combined strategies are recommended for future programs.

This article describes a mixed-methods study in Cambodia that tested three behavioral interventions family support, tracking calendar, and educational videos to improve pregnant women’s adherence to daily multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) and promote healthy practices. Family involvement was most valued; combined strategies are recommended for future programs.