What we are reading...

This youth‑focused guide explains how heavy drinking harms children and teens in South Africa including unsafe homes, accidents, and early alcohol use and what can be done to reduce those harms. It discusses rethinking drinking norms, raising awareness, and supporting healthier choices to protect young lives and futures.

This youth‑focused guide explains how heavy drinking harms children and teens in South Africa including unsafe homes, accidents, and early alcohol use and what can be done to reduce those harms. It discusses rethinking drinking norms, raising awareness, and supporting healthier choices to protect young lives and futures.

This is a research article reporting that children aged 6–7 years whose mothers were anaemic during pregnancy had persistently smaller volumes in key brain regions especially the corpus callosum and caudate nucleus compared with those whose mothers were not anaemic. Findings suggest lasting effects of antenatal maternal anaemia on child brain development and support the need for effective maternal anaemia prevention and intervention strategies.

This is a research article reporting that children aged 6–7 years whose mothers were anaemic during pregnancy had persistently smaller volumes in key brain regions especially the corpus callosum and caudate nucleus compared with those whose mothers were not anaemic. Findings suggest lasting effects of antenatal maternal anaemia on child brain development and support the need for effective maternal anaemia prevention and intervention strategies.

This review examines Child Health Partnerships collaborative programmes involving multiple sectors aimed at improving child health and wellbeing. It analyses 11 major partnerships in developed countries, exploring their structures, activities and outcomes. The review finds that well‑formed partnerships can enhance service integration, accessibility and child and parenting outcomes. It highlights the importance of context, sustained collaboration, and targeted activities in achieving meaningful improvements in child health services.

This review examines Child Health Partnerships collaborative programmes involving multiple sectors aimed at improving child health and wellbeing. It analyses 11 major partnerships in developed countries, exploring their structures, activities and outcomes. The review finds that well‑formed partnerships can enhance service integration, accessibility and child and parenting outcomes. It highlights the importance of context, sustained collaboration, and targeted activities in achieving meaningful improvements in child health services.

This survey provides a national snapshot of living conditions in South African households, covering education, health and social development, housing, access to basic services, food security, and agriculture. Key findings include increased female-headed households, rising reliance on social grants, persistent food insecurity, uneven medical aid coverage, and improvements in water, sanitation and electricity access.

This survey provides a national snapshot of living conditions in South African households, covering education, health and social development, housing, access to basic services, food security, and agriculture. Key findings include increased female-headed households, rising reliance on social grants, persistent food insecurity, uneven medical aid coverage, and improvements in water, sanitation and electricity access.

This is a qualitative research article exploring how pregnant and breastfeeding women in Cape Town perceive alcohol use and what support they need. Participants generally understood that drinking during pregnancy is harmful, knew less about risks while breastfeeding, and highlighted stress, violence, poverty, and lack of support as key drivers of alcohol use, suggesting tailored community‑based interventions are needed.

This is a qualitative research article exploring how pregnant and breastfeeding women in Cape Town perceive alcohol use and what support they need. Participants generally understood that drinking during pregnancy is harmful, knew less about risks while breastfeeding, and highlighted stress, violence, poverty, and lack of support as key drivers of alcohol use, suggesting tailored community‑based interventions are needed.

This journal article emphasizes the importance of emotional support, connection, and nurturing care for children’s wellbeing. It argues that love, responsiveness, and stable caregiving environments are essential to healthy early development and lifelong outcomes.

This journal article emphasizes the importance of emotional support, connection, and nurturing care for children’s wellbeing. It argues that love, responsiveness, and stable caregiving environments are essential to healthy early development and lifelong outcomes.

The National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) is South Africa’s new comprehensive framework to improve children’s wellbeing by closing the food gap, boosting early learning and language development, reducing substance harms, ensuring timely screening for hearing and vision issues, and strengthening child protection. It outlines ten priorities and calls for collaboration across government, civil society and communities to help all children thrive.

The National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) is South Africa’s new comprehensive framework to improve children’s wellbeing by closing the food gap, boosting early learning and language development, reducing substance harms, ensuring timely screening for hearing and vision issues, and strengthening child protection. It outlines ten priorities and calls for collaboration across government, civil society and communities to help all children thrive.

HOPE‑Hear provides resources to support children’s hearing and ear health, including newborn hearing screening, identifying hearing loss, ear care, safe listening, and tips for hearing aid users. These downloadable guides help parents and caregivers promote healthy hearing and early language development in children.

HOPE‑Hear provides resources to support children’s hearing and ear health, including newborn hearing screening, identifying hearing loss, ear care, safe listening, and tips for hearing aid users. These downloadable guides help parents and caregivers promote healthy hearing and early language development in children.

This brief argues South Africa should transition from iron-folic acid to Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) in antenatal care to improve maternal and newborn health. MMS containing 15 essential micronutrients more effectively reduces low birth weight, preterm birth and stillbirth, especially where anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies are high. It’s cost-effective, offers large economic returns, and aligns with national development goals, urging decisive policy action and integration into routine care.

This brief argues South Africa should transition from iron-folic acid to Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) in antenatal care to improve maternal and newborn health. MMS containing 15 essential micronutrients more effectively reduces low birth weight, preterm birth and stillbirth, especially where anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies are high. It’s cost-effective, offers large economic returns, and aligns with national development goals, urging decisive policy action and integration into routine care.

This policy brief calls for urgent action to ensure all South African children access nutritious food. It proposes affordable food measures, stronger local food systems, better nutrition quality through fortification, and maternal support to reduce stunting, improve growth, and boost lifelong health and economic wellbeing.

This policy brief calls for urgent action to ensure all South African children access nutritious food. It proposes affordable food measures, stronger local food systems, better nutrition quality through fortification, and maternal support to reduce stunting, improve growth, and boost lifelong health and economic wellbeing.

This policy brief reviews evidence from 16 randomized evaluations of adolescent girls’ life skills programmes in low‑ and middle‑income countries. It shows that life skills training strengthens girls’ “power within” confidence, aspirations and gender attitudes enabling them to make choices that improve education, labour, health, and empowerment outcomes. The brief also outlines key behavioural mechanisms and design insights for effective life skills programming.

This policy brief reviews evidence from 16 randomized evaluations of adolescent girls’ life skills programmes in low‑ and middle‑income countries. It shows that life skills training strengthens girls’ “power within” confidence, aspirations and gender attitudes enabling them to make choices that improve education, labour, health, and empowerment outcomes. The brief also outlines key behavioural mechanisms and design insights for effective life skills programming.

This report is a 2016 study showing how South African experts, policymakers and the public think differently about early childhood development (ECD). It highlights where views overlap and diverge, especially around the age when key development happens, and offers suggestions for better communication to build wider understanding and support for early-childhood policies.

This report is a 2016 study showing how South African experts, policymakers and the public think differently about early childhood development (ECD). It highlights where views overlap and diverge, especially around the age when key development happens, and offers suggestions for better communication to build wider understanding and support for early-childhood policies.

This is an evidence-based article explaining how prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) improves pregnancy and newborn outcomes compared with iron-folic acid alone. It summarises research showing MMS reduces low birthweight, preterm births and stillbirths, emphasises early and sustained intake during pregnancy, and advocates for broader policy adoption to support healthier infant growth.

This is an evidence-based article explaining how prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) improves pregnancy and newborn outcomes compared with iron-folic acid alone. It summarises research showing MMS reduces low birthweight, preterm births and stillbirths, emphasises early and sustained intake during pregnancy, and advocates for broader policy adoption to support healthier infant growth.

This systematic review synthesises evidence on how women’s groups (WGs) improve maternal and child health quality across 19 countries. It examines group characteristics, processes and participation types, highlighting that WGs mainly function as developmental or instrumental participatory interventions. Although many studies show benefits, mechanisms (like decision‑making and cultural factors) are under‑described, underscoring the need for clearer frameworks to understand how WGs work.

This systematic review synthesises evidence on how women’s groups (WGs) improve maternal and child health quality across 19 countries. It examines group characteristics, processes and participation types, highlighting that WGs mainly function as developmental or instrumental participatory interventions. Although many studies show benefits, mechanisms (like decision‑making and cultural factors) are under‑described, underscoring the need for clearer frameworks to understand how WGs work.

This chapter of the article explains that children’s early development depends not only on individual caregivers but on a nurturing environment shaped by families, communities and national systems. It emphasises that responsive care, adequate nutrition and stimulating interactions require supportive policies, services and community engagement, arguing that broader social, economic and public systems must work together to enable caregivers to provide optimal nurturing care.

This chapter of the article explains that children’s early development depends not only on individual caregivers but on a nurturing environment shaped by families, communities and national systems. It emphasises that responsive care, adequate nutrition and stimulating interactions require supportive policies, services and community engagement, arguing that broader social, economic and public systems must work together to enable caregivers to provide optimal nurturing care.

This articles shows a comparison of trials where pregnant women received multiple micronutrients versus standard iron‑folic acid supplements, and found that multiple micronutrients improved infant length, weight, and other growth measures up to about 6 months of age and reduced risks like stunting and underweight at early ages.

This articles shows a comparison of trials where pregnant women received multiple micronutrients versus standard iron‑folic acid supplements, and found that multiple micronutrients improved infant length, weight, and other growth measures up to about 6 months of age and reduced risks like stunting and underweight at early ages.

This document outlines a global advocacy initiative by the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Consortium promoting WHO/UNICEF‑recommended multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) with 15 essential vitamins and minerals for pregnant women. It equips advocates, policymakers, and donors with evidence, messaging, and tools to scale MMS in antenatal care to improve maternal and newborn health worldwide. MMS is shown to enhance pregnancy outcomes, strengthen economies, and support healthier futures for families and communities.

This document outlines a global advocacy initiative by the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Consortium promoting WHO/UNICEF‑recommended multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) with 15 essential vitamins and minerals for pregnant women. It equips advocates, policymakers, and donors with evidence, messaging, and tools to scale MMS in antenatal care to improve maternal and newborn health worldwide. MMS is shown to enhance pregnancy outcomes, strengthen economies, and support healthier futures for families and communities.

This article proposes and tests a standardised measurement unit called the D‑score to make early childhood development assessments across ages, settings and different tools more comparable. Using data from tens of thousands of children and multiple instruments, the authors develop conversion keys and global scales that let diverse developmental tests be translated into a common metric, helping simplify research and policy comparisons.

This article proposes and tests a standardised measurement unit called the D‑score to make early childhood development assessments across ages, settings and different tools more comparable. Using data from tens of thousands of children and multiple instruments, the authors develop conversion keys and global scales that let diverse developmental tests be translated into a common metric, helping simplify research and policy comparisons.

This essay argues that the slow global rollout of maternal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) isn’t due to lack of evidence MMS reduces low birthweight and adverse outcomes but rather structural inequities in global health systems. Barriers include fragmented guidance, donor hesitancy, and higher evidence demands in low‑income settings compared with the Global North.

This essay argues that the slow global rollout of maternal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) isn’t due to lack of evidence MMS reduces low birthweight and adverse outcomes but rather structural inequities in global health systems. Barriers include fragmented guidance, donor hesitancy, and higher evidence demands in low‑income settings compared with the Global North.

This report analyses ear and hearing care across Africa, estimating 40 million people have hearing loss, projected to rise sharply without action. It highlights workforce shortages, limited screening and weak primary-care integration, and calls for stronger policies, funding, prevention and expanded access to services and assistive technologies.

This report analyses ear and hearing care across Africa, estimating 40 million people have hearing loss, projected to rise sharply without action. It highlights workforce shortages, limited screening and weak primary-care integration, and calls for stronger policies, funding, prevention and expanded access to services and assistive technologies.

This study surveyed private health facilities across South Africa to assess newborn hearing screening coverage, methods used, and implementation challenges. It found only about half of private obstetric units offer any screening and very few provide universal screening, highlighting gaps in systematic newborn hearing loss detection and the need for improved standardised services.

This study surveyed private health facilities across South Africa to assess newborn hearing screening coverage, methods used, and implementation challenges. It found only about half of private obstetric units offer any screening and very few provide universal screening, highlighting gaps in systematic newborn hearing loss detection and the need for improved standardised services.

This report highlights global hearing loss as a major public health issue, urges integration of people‑centred ear and hearing care into health systems, and promotes cost‑effective interventions to prevent and address hearing loss across the lifespan.

This report highlights global hearing loss as a major public health issue, urges integration of people‑centred ear and hearing care into health systems, and promotes cost‑effective interventions to prevent and address hearing loss across the lifespan.

This study evaluated a community‑based universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) pilot across three primary health clinics in rural Limpopo, South Africa. Reviewing 2 302 infant records, it assessed coverage, referral, and follow‑up rates. While benchmarks weren’t fully met, high screening coverage and manageable referral rates demonstrate the feasibility of implementing rural UNHS. The authors argue that regular monitoring and evaluation can strengthen early hearing detection and intervention in underserved contexts.

This study evaluated a community‑based universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) pilot across three primary health clinics in rural Limpopo, South Africa. Reviewing 2 302 infant records, it assessed coverage, referral, and follow‑up rates. While benchmarks weren’t fully met, high screening coverage and manageable referral rates demonstrate the feasibility of implementing rural UNHS. The authors argue that regular monitoring and evaluation can strengthen early hearing detection and intervention in underserved contexts.

This article analyses the economic value of scaling up WHO-recommended ear and hearing care interventions (HEAR) across 172 countries. It models costs and benefits from 2020–2030, finding that investing in screening, prevention, hearing technologies and rehabilitation could avert over 130 million DALYs and deliver roughly US $15 in economic return for every US $1 spent, showing strong cost-effectiveness.

This article analyses the economic value of scaling up WHO-recommended ear and hearing care interventions (HEAR) across 172 countries. It models costs and benefits from 2020–2030, finding that investing in screening, prevention, hearing technologies and rehabilitation could avert over 130 million DALYs and deliver roughly US $15 in economic return for every US $1 spent, showing strong cost-effectiveness.

This article argues that universal neonatal hearing screening (NHS) should be implemented worldwide as a public health priority. Early detection of hearing loss in newborns occurring in about 1–2 per 1000 births allows timely intervention, which greatly improves children’s language, cognitive, social, and educational development. Although some countries have effective universal NHS programs, others (like Greece) lack nationwide mandates. The authors emphasize that universal NHS is cost‑effective, ethically necessary, and crucial for equitable access to early intervention and lifelong opportunities for children with hearing impairments.

This article argues that universal neonatal hearing screening (NHS) should be implemented worldwide as a public health priority. Early detection of hearing loss in newborns occurring in about 1–2 per 1000 births allows timely intervention, which greatly improves children’s language, cognitive, social, and educational development. Although some countries have effective universal NHS programs, others (like Greece) lack nationwide mandates. The authors emphasize that universal NHS is cost‑effective, ethically necessary, and crucial for equitable access to early intervention and lifelong opportunities for children with hearing impairments.

This global survey of newborn and infant hearing screening (NIHS) in 158 countries shows major disparities in program coverage: about 33% of babies are screened universally while 38% have little or no screening. Early screening dramatically lowers the age of diagnosis and intervention for permanent childhood hearing loss. The authors call for stronger investment, data collection, and program expansion—especially in low-income countries.

This global survey of newborn and infant hearing screening (NIHS) in 158 countries shows major disparities in program coverage: about 33% of babies are screened universally while 38% have little or no screening. Early screening dramatically lowers the age of diagnosis and intervention for permanent childhood hearing loss. The authors call for stronger investment, data collection, and program expansion—especially in low-income countries.

This is a research article examining the sustainability of the audiology and speech-language therapy workforce in South Africa. It identifies workforce shortages, unequal geographic distribution, high exit rates, and training-to-employment gaps. The study highlights barriers like limited posts, poor career pathways and resource constraints, and recommends strategic planning, workforce investment and supportive policies to strengthen service availability.

This is a research article examining the sustainability of the audiology and speech-language therapy workforce in South Africa. It identifies workforce shortages, unequal geographic distribution, high exit rates, and training-to-employment gaps. The study highlights barriers like limited posts, poor career pathways and resource constraints, and recommends strategic planning, workforce investment and supportive policies to strengthen service availability.

This report estimates the global costs when hearing loss goes untreated, including health, education, productivity and social care impacts, and evaluates how early detection and cost-effective interventions (like screening and hearing aids) can reduce this burden.

This report estimates the global costs when hearing loss goes untreated, including health, education, productivity and social care impacts, and evaluates how early detection and cost-effective interventions (like screening and hearing aids) can reduce this burden.

This report investigates gaps in maternity and parental benefits for self‑employed workers, especially those in the informal economy. It finds current systems exclude self‑employed parents from social protection, worsening inequality and limiting women’s economic participation. The report explores legal and policy shortcomings, South Africa’s constitutional and international obligations, and proposes how and who should extend maternity and parental benefits to self‑employed workers.

This report investigates gaps in maternity and parental benefits for self‑employed workers, especially those in the informal economy. It finds current systems exclude self‑employed parents from social protection, worsening inequality and limiting women’s economic participation. The report explores legal and policy shortcomings, South Africa’s constitutional and international obligations, and proposes how and who should extend maternity and parental benefits to self‑employed workers.

This working paper uses Bayesian meta-analysis to combine evidence from 115 studies of 72 unconditional cash transfer (UCT) programs in low- and middle-income countries. It finds strong positive effects on consumption, income, school enrollment, food security, assets, and child growth, and explores hypotheses about labor supply, targeting, and program design.

This working paper uses Bayesian meta-analysis to combine evidence from 115 studies of 72 unconditional cash transfer (UCT) programs in low- and middle-income countries. It finds strong positive effects on consumption, income, school enrollment, food security, assets, and child growth, and explores hypotheses about labor supply, targeting, and program design.