What we are reading...

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

This implementation brief provides evidence-based strategies to prevent, treat, and reduce harms from substance use among young people in East and Southern Africa. It promotes youth-friendly, integrated, and community-based interventions, emphasizing prevention, early identification, harm reduction, mental health support, and multisectoral collaboration to strengthen adolescent health and wellbeing outcomes.

This implementation brief provides evidence-based strategies to prevent, treat, and reduce harms from substance use among young people in East and Southern Africa. It promotes youth-friendly, integrated, and community-based interventions, emphasizing prevention, early identification, harm reduction, mental health support, and multisectoral collaboration to strengthen adolescent health and wellbeing outcomes.

This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the effects of screen time and digital media exposure during the first 1,001 days of life. It concludes that regular screen use in children under two is linked to developmental, sleep, health, and social risks, recommending minimal intentional exposure and stronger guidance for parents and policymakers.

This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the effects of screen time and digital media exposure during the first 1,001 days of life. It concludes that regular screen use in children under two is linked to developmental, sleep, health, and social risks, recommending minimal intentional exposure and stronger guidance for parents and policymakers.

This is a that toolkit explains how schools can implement meaningful, rights-based child participation by ensuring children are informed, included, heard, and able to influence decisions affecting them. It provides practical strategies, guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Lundy Model, to create inclusive, democratic school environments that respect every child's voice.

This is a that toolkit explains how schools can implement meaningful, rights-based child participation by ensuring children are informed, included, heard, and able to influence decisions affecting them. It provides practical strategies, guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Lundy Model, to create inclusive, democratic school environments that respect every child's voice.

This is a profile of South Africa's PrEPWatch country profile outlines the country's HIV prevention landscape, including approved PrEP options, national policies, implementation guidelines, and service delivery. It tracks PrEP uptake, highlights available access points and resources, and supports evidence-based planning to expand equitable HIV prevention services for populations at substantial risk.

This is a profile of South Africa's PrEPWatch country profile outlines the country's HIV prevention landscape, including approved PrEP options, national policies, implementation guidelines, and service delivery. It tracks PrEP uptake, highlights available access points and resources, and supports evidence-based planning to expand equitable HIV prevention services for populations at substantial risk.

This piece argues that many children struggle with resilience, emotional regulation, and social skills because they lack essential developmental experiences, particularly unstructured play, autonomy, and manageable risk. Rather than asking what is wrong with children, adults should ask what opportunities they have missed, then intentionally restore those experiences to support healthy development.

This piece argues that many children struggle with resilience, emotional regulation, and social skills because they lack essential developmental experiences, particularly unstructured play, autonomy, and manageable risk. Rather than asking what is wrong with children, adults should ask what opportunities they have missed, then intentionally restore those experiences to support healthy development.

DOI: 10.64628/AAJ.tashp7apk

DOI: 10.64628/AAJ.tashp7apk

This strategy outlines a coordinated approach to reducing HIV infections among South African youth through comprehensive sexuality education, youth-friendly health services, community engagement, and social support. It emphasizes meaningful youth participation, gender equality, and partnerships across sectors to address the social, structural, and behavioural factors driving HIV risk among young people.

This strategy outlines a coordinated approach to reducing HIV infections among South African youth through comprehensive sexuality education, youth-friendly health services, community engagement, and social support. It emphasizes meaningful youth participation, gender equality, and partnerships across sectors to address the social, structural, and behavioural factors driving HIV risk among young people.

In March 2026, SECTION27 released a report examining the state of orientation and mobility training in South African schools, highlighting its importance for learners with visual impairments, the barriers they face in accessing quality education, the state's legal obligations and the urgent reforms needed to ensure inclusive education.

In March 2026, SECTION27 released a report examining the state of orientation and mobility training in South African schools, highlighting its importance for learners with visual impairments, the barriers they face in accessing quality education, the state's legal obligations and the urgent reforms needed to ensure inclusive education.

This pilot, implemented by Waves for Change in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, used structured after-school sport programmes to strengthen youth wellbeing. Findings indicated improvements in emotional regulation, resilience, social connectedness, and mental health, demonstrating sport’s potential as an accessible youth development intervention.

This pilot, implemented by Waves for Change in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, used structured after-school sport programmes to strengthen youth wellbeing. Findings indicated improvements in emotional regulation, resilience, social connectedness, and mental health, demonstrating sport’s potential as an accessible youth development intervention.

This research provides critical insights into children's perceptions of what constitutes a “good” and “bad” father, revealing complex intersections between social expectations, economic realities, and the perceived and lived experiences of children in South Africa.

This research provides critical insights into children's perceptions of what constitutes a “good” and “bad” father, revealing complex intersections between social expectations, economic realities, and the perceived and lived experiences of children in South Africa.

This publication brief argues that antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) are a cost-effective investment in maternal and newborn health. Compared with iron and folic acid alone, MMS reduces risks of low birth weight, preterm birth, stillbirth, and poor fetal growth while generating substantial social and economic returns.

This publication brief argues that antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) are a cost-effective investment in maternal and newborn health. Compared with iron and folic acid alone, MMS reduces risks of low birth weight, preterm birth, stillbirth, and poor fetal growth while generating substantial social and economic returns.

This report argues that anaemia is a major but overlooked cause of maternal deaths, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Drawing on the WOMAN-2 study, it shows severe anaemia greatly increases risks of postpartum haemorrhage, stillbirth, and death, urging stronger prevention, screening, and treatment efforts.

This report argues that anaemia is a major but overlooked cause of maternal deaths, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Drawing on the WOMAN-2 study, it shows severe anaemia greatly increases risks of postpartum haemorrhage, stillbirth, and death, urging stronger prevention, screening, and treatment efforts.

This editorial introduces a special issue examining childhood stunting in South Africa, highlighting its causes, consequences, and evidence-based solutions. It calls for coordinated, multisectoral action, improved measurement and monitoring, scalable interventions, and stronger collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to address chronic undernutrition and improve child development outcomes nationwide.

This editorial introduces a special issue examining childhood stunting in South Africa, highlighting its causes, consequences, and evidence-based solutions. It calls for coordinated, multisectoral action, improved measurement and monitoring, scalable interventions, and stronger collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to address chronic undernutrition and improve child development outcomes nationwide.

This article reports new evidence that antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) are a highly cost-effective investment in maternal and infant health. Compared with standard iron-folic acid supplements, MMS improves birth outcomes, reduces low birthweight and undernutrition, supports healthier infant growth, and delivers substantial economic returns—estimated at about $37 for every $1 invested.

This article reports new evidence that antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) are a highly cost-effective investment in maternal and infant health. Compared with standard iron-folic acid supplements, MMS improves birth outcomes, reduces low birthweight and undernutrition, supports healthier infant growth, and delivers substantial economic returns—estimated at about $37 for every $1 invested.

This report found that global child mortality has declined substantially since 1990, yet progress is slowing. In 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children under five died, mainly from preventable causes. Deaths remain concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, highlighting persistent inequalities and urgent investment needs.

This report found that global child mortality has declined substantially since 1990, yet progress is slowing. In 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children under five died, mainly from preventable causes. Deaths remain concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, highlighting persistent inequalities and urgent investment needs.

This examines young children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development across participating countries. The report highlights the importance of supportive home environments, quality early childhood education, and equitable learning opportunities, showing how early experiences shape well-being, school readiness, and long-term life outcomes.

This examines young children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development across participating countries. The report highlights the importance of supportive home environments, quality early childhood education, and equitable learning opportunities, showing how early experiences shape well-being, school readiness, and long-term life outcomes.

One in four children in the world today suffers from stunting. What can countries with high stunting rates today learn from Japan’s experience of going from 70% to 5%? Japan's experience shows that transformation is possible, but it requires simultaneous action on disease, diet, and infrastructure sustained over a generation. Nonetheless, that seems like an investment worth making. The future of hundreds of millions of children depends on it.

One in four children in the world today suffers from stunting. What can countries with high stunting rates today learn from Japan’s experience of going from 70% to 5%? Japan's experience shows that transformation is possible, but it requires simultaneous action on disease, diet, and infrastructure sustained over a generation. Nonetheless, that seems like an investment worth making. The future of hundreds of millions of children depends on it.

This study computes comparable child stunting rates for 122 countries across the 20th century, extending our understanding of child stunting much deeper into the past. Countries that have eradicated stunting could provide further evidence on how to eradicate child stunting today.

This study computes comparable child stunting rates for 122 countries across the 20th century, extending our understanding of child stunting much deeper into the past. Countries that have eradicated stunting could provide further evidence on how to eradicate child stunting today.