What we are reading...

This report shows that South Africa has high alcohol consumption, averaging 27 litres of pure alcohol per person in 2019 about five glasses of wine, beer, or spirits daily. Rethink Your Drink, a DGMT project, targets excessive drinking to reduce social and health harms. It uses strategic litigation, carefully chosen legal cases against the industry or government, to create broader societal change rather than resolving individual disputes.

This report shows that South Africa has high alcohol consumption, averaging 27 litres of pure alcohol per person in 2019 about five glasses of wine, beer, or spirits daily. Rethink Your Drink, a DGMT project, targets excessive drinking to reduce social and health harms. It uses strategic litigation, carefully chosen legal cases against the industry or government, to create broader societal change rather than resolving individual disputes.

This UNICEF‑led framework outlines a global vision for building strong, coordinated systems that support parents and caregivers throughout children’s lives. It emphasizes a multisectoral, evidence‑based approach to help countries integrate parenting support into health, education, social protection and community services, aiming to improve child well‑being and equity worldwide.

This UNICEF‑led framework outlines a global vision for building strong, coordinated systems that support parents and caregivers throughout children’s lives. It emphasizes a multisectoral, evidence‑based approach to help countries integrate parenting support into health, education, social protection and community services, aiming to improve child well‑being and equity worldwide.

This country page for South Africa provides data and evidence on eye health, showing current and projected trends in vision loss, causes, and the impact of poor vision. It’s part of a broader interactive platform designed for policymakers and advocates to understand the burden of sight impairment and the importance of investing in eye care services.

This country page for South Africa provides data and evidence on eye health, showing current and projected trends in vision loss, causes, and the impact of poor vision. It’s part of a broader interactive platform designed for policymakers and advocates to understand the burden of sight impairment and the importance of investing in eye care services.

This policy brief is an accountability checklist for implementing policy commitments to enable parent-led nurturing care from birth to lay the foundations for inclusive, human capital development.

This policy brief is an accountability checklist for implementing policy commitments to enable parent-led nurturing care from birth to lay the foundations for inclusive, human capital development.

This article introduces a special issue on Family‑Centered Early Intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (FCEI‑DHH). It explains how an international panel revised and expanded a 2013 consensus on evidence‑based principles by incorporating broader cultural perspectives, family and DHH leader input, and new research to guide global FCEI‑DHH practice and improve supports for children and their families.

This article introduces a special issue on Family‑Centered Early Intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (FCEI‑DHH). It explains how an international panel revised and expanded a 2013 consensus on evidence‑based principles by incorporating broader cultural perspectives, family and DHH leader input, and new research to guide global FCEI‑DHH practice and improve supports for children and their families.

This is an outline on why a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) is urgently needed in South Africa. It uses graphics to show how a nine‑month cash grant for pregnant women could prevent food insecurity, low birth weight, and stunting, and explains how the MSG would work and its cost/value proposition.

This is an outline on why a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) is urgently needed in South Africa. It uses graphics to show how a nine‑month cash grant for pregnant women could prevent food insecurity, low birth weight, and stunting, and explains how the MSG would work and its cost/value proposition.

This report shows that child poverty remains widespread and complex, with hundreds of millions of children living in extreme or multidimensional deprivation across health, education, water and sanitation, nutrition and protection. It emphasises that poverty undermines survival and development, highlights stalled progress and intersecting crises (conflict, climate, funding shortfalls), and calls for urgent policies social protection, public services, decent work and rights‑centred planning to end child poverty globally.

This report shows that child poverty remains widespread and complex, with hundreds of millions of children living in extreme or multidimensional deprivation across health, education, water and sanitation, nutrition and protection. It emphasises that poverty undermines survival and development, highlights stalled progress and intersecting crises (conflict, climate, funding shortfalls), and calls for urgent policies social protection, public services, decent work and rights‑centred planning to end child poverty globally.

This piece reports that South Africa lacks comprehensive administrative data on children under five, leaving an estimated ~6 million young children “invisible” to government tracking systems. This data gap undermines planning for early learning, nutrition and development, and complicates access to services like grants and preschool. It also highlights poor early childhood outcomes and calls for integrated data systems and stronger interventions.

This piece reports that South Africa lacks comprehensive administrative data on children under five, leaving an estimated ~6 million young children “invisible” to government tracking systems. This data gap undermines planning for early learning, nutrition and development, and complicates access to services like grants and preschool. It also highlights poor early childhood outcomes and calls for integrated data systems and stronger interventions.

This is a research article examining how South Africa’s policy and enabling environment for young child nutrition has evolved since 1994. It finds that despite improved nutrition policies, persistent malnutrition and governance gaps remain. It highlights political commitment, coordination barriers, and implementation challenges shaping child nutrition outcomes at national and provincial levels.

This is a research article examining how South Africa’s policy and enabling environment for young child nutrition has evolved since 1994. It finds that despite improved nutrition policies, persistent malnutrition and governance gaps remain. It highlights political commitment, coordination barriers, and implementation challenges shaping child nutrition outcomes at national and provincial levels.

This research article reports a cross‑sectional survey of pregnant women attending antenatal services in Vhembe District, South Africa, to determine the prevalence of anaemia and its contributing factors. It uses maternity records and questionnaires to assess nutritional status, supplement use and food security, providing locally relevant evidence to inform targeted maternal health and nutrition interventions within antenatal care services

This research article reports a cross‑sectional survey of pregnant women attending antenatal services in Vhembe District, South Africa, to determine the prevalence of anaemia and its contributing factors. It uses maternity records and questionnaires to assess nutritional status, supplement use and food security, providing locally relevant evidence to inform targeted maternal health and nutrition interventions within antenatal care services

OCLC: 1482701165

OCLC: 1482701165

This paper explores the concept of “mattering” the feeling that one is valued and has something to contribute and explains why it’s crucial in early childhood development. It argues that this sense first emerges in infancy and shapes lifelong health, emotional wellbeing, resilience, and social skills. Feeling that they matter helps children build confidence, cope with stress, and develop positive relationships. The authors provide scientific insights and practical strategies for caregivers, educators, and policymakers to foster mattering in young children’s lives and environments.

This paper explores the concept of “mattering” the feeling that one is valued and has something to contribute and explains why it’s crucial in early childhood development. It argues that this sense first emerges in infancy and shapes lifelong health, emotional wellbeing, resilience, and social skills. Feeling that they matter helps children build confidence, cope with stress, and develop positive relationships. The authors provide scientific insights and practical strategies for caregivers, educators, and policymakers to foster mattering in young children’s lives and environments.

This study audited Road‑to‑Health Booklets from early childhood centres in Nelson Mandela Bay, finding well‑documented birth weight and early immunisations but significant gaps in growth measurements, vitamin A supplementation, and deworming records. Inconsistent booklet completion may hinder early detection of health issues. Strengthening training and caregiver engagement could improve preventive child healthcare.

This study audited Road‑to‑Health Booklets from early childhood centres in Nelson Mandela Bay, finding well‑documented birth weight and early immunisations but significant gaps in growth measurements, vitamin A supplementation, and deworming records. Inconsistent booklet completion may hinder early detection of health issues. Strengthening training and caregiver engagement could improve preventive child healthcare.

This is a policy brief by Hold My Hand arguing that South Africa should urgently introduce universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) as part of routine maternal and child health services. It highlights that around 6 000 babies are born with hearing loss annually, yet fewer than 10 % are screened at birth, delaying diagnosis and missing critical early intervention windows. The brief frames UNHS as feasible, cost‑effective and essential for equitable early development, calling for integrated screening, trained personnel and strengthened data systems so children can develop language and thrive.

This is a policy brief by Hold My Hand arguing that South Africa should urgently introduce universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) as part of routine maternal and child health services. It highlights that around 6 000 babies are born with hearing loss annually, yet fewer than 10 % are screened at birth, delaying diagnosis and missing critical early intervention windows. The brief frames UNHS as feasible, cost‑effective and essential for equitable early development, calling for integrated screening, trained personnel and strengthened data systems so children can develop language and thrive.

This article describes a quasi‑experimental study protocol to evaluate Pakistan’s Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP), a nutritional and support intervention for pregnant women, mothers and young children. Using surveys in 18 districts and a difference‑in‑differences design, it aims to assess the programme’s effects on child stunting and maternal/child health outcomes, guiding future policies to reduce undernutrition.

This article describes a quasi‑experimental study protocol to evaluate Pakistan’s Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP), a nutritional and support intervention for pregnant women, mothers and young children. Using surveys in 18 districts and a difference‑in‑differences design, it aims to assess the programme’s effects on child stunting and maternal/child health outcomes, guiding future policies to reduce undernutrition.

This policy brief outlines the extended global nutrition targets to 2030 after Member States recognised that original 2025 goals were off track. It explains renewed commitments, key indicators and operational targets such as reducing child stunting and anaemia, lowering low birth weight, increasing exclusive breastfeeding, and addressing wasting and childhood overweight to guide countries’ nutrition action plans.

This policy brief outlines the extended global nutrition targets to 2030 after Member States recognised that original 2025 goals were off track. It explains renewed commitments, key indicators and operational targets such as reducing child stunting and anaemia, lowering low birth weight, increasing exclusive breastfeeding, and addressing wasting and childhood overweight to guide countries’ nutrition action plans.

This brief highlights how warm, interactive, child-led conversations between adults and young children support development and help close early learning gaps. It explains that encouraging curiosity and shifting practitioner behaviour can unlock meaningful learning gains, especially in challenging contexts.

This brief highlights how warm, interactive, child-led conversations between adults and young children support development and help close early learning gaps. It explains that encouraging curiosity and shifting practitioner behaviour can unlock meaningful learning gains, especially in challenging contexts.

The Blueprint presents a practical pathway to align and mobilise the entire early learning ecosystem, from government, communities and early learning programme (ELP) providers, to families, NGOs and funders, to move at scale, with speed, and sustainability, so no child is left behind

The Blueprint presents a practical pathway to align and mobilise the entire early learning ecosystem, from government, communities and early learning programme (ELP) providers, to families, NGOs and funders, to move at scale, with speed, and sustainability, so no child is left behind

This plan prioritises enabling all South African children to read for meaning by age ten, emphasising African languages, teacher development, quality reading materials and parent/community engagement. It proposes literacy policy reform, culturally relevant learning resources, structured teacher training, and monitoring to improve foundational reading outcomes nationwide by 2030.

This plan prioritises enabling all South African children to read for meaning by age ten, emphasising African languages, teacher development, quality reading materials and parent/community engagement. It proposes literacy policy reform, culturally relevant learning resources, structured teacher training, and monitoring to improve foundational reading outcomes nationwide by 2030.

This paper advocates for widespread adoption of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) across Africa. It synthesises outcomes from the 2nd Africa Maternal Nutrition and MMS Technical Meeting, emphasising MMS’s health benefits (e.g., reduced low birthweight and stillbirth), the need for stronger policy, financing, supply chains, implementation science and regional collaboration to integrate MMS into routine antenatal care and accelerate maternal‑newborn health improvements.

This paper advocates for widespread adoption of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) across Africa. It synthesises outcomes from the 2nd Africa Maternal Nutrition and MMS Technical Meeting, emphasising MMS’s health benefits (e.g., reduced low birthweight and stillbirth), the need for stronger policy, financing, supply chains, implementation science and regional collaboration to integrate MMS into routine antenatal care and accelerate maternal‑newborn health improvements.

This guide outlines good practice elements for parenting support programmes linked to Early Childhood Development (ECD). It describes core areas programme design, common topics, delivery models, monitoring and evaluation, state support systems, and centralised information—and offers tips for engaging parents/caregivers and addressing their needs in diverse contexts.

This guide outlines good practice elements for parenting support programmes linked to Early Childhood Development (ECD). It describes core areas programme design, common topics, delivery models, monitoring and evaluation, state support systems, and centralised information—and offers tips for engaging parents/caregivers and addressing their needs in diverse contexts.

This report presents the South African Food Security Index 2025, commissioned by Shoprite and compiled by Stellenbosch University researchers. It shows a modest improvement in national food security with the index rising from 44.9 in 2023 to about 56.4 in 2024 but highlights ongoing hunger, uneven dietary diversity and persistent food insecurity across provinces. Key drivers include food affordability, access, diet variety and stability, with female‑headed households disproportionately affected.

This report presents the South African Food Security Index 2025, commissioned by Shoprite and compiled by Stellenbosch University researchers. It shows a modest improvement in national food security with the index rising from 44.9 in 2023 to about 56.4 in 2024 but highlights ongoing hunger, uneven dietary diversity and persistent food insecurity across provinces. Key drivers include food affordability, access, diet variety and stability, with female‑headed households disproportionately affected.

The WHO Vaccination Information Hub is an evidence‑based resource offering scientific information on how vaccines work, vaccine safety, development, ingredients, and immunization schedules for the public and health professionals. It includes Q&As, explainers, training tools, and links to related vaccination topics and resources.

The WHO Vaccination Information Hub is an evidence‑based resource offering scientific information on how vaccines work, vaccine safety, development, ingredients, and immunization schedules for the public and health professionals. It includes Q&As, explainers, training tools, and links to related vaccination topics and resources.

The article explains that fortifying staple foods like pap (maize meal) and bread with essential vitamins and minerals can help reduce South Africa’s “hidden hunger.” Although mandatory fortification exists, weak compliance and monitoring undermine its impact, so stronger enforcement and updated regulations are needed.

The article explains that fortifying staple foods like pap (maize meal) and bread with essential vitamins and minerals can help reduce South Africa’s “hidden hunger.” Although mandatory fortification exists, weak compliance and monitoring undermine its impact, so stronger enforcement and updated regulations are needed.

The Stories for Joy series on the ECD Info Hub offers open-licensed South African storybooks for children from birth to five, designed to build emergent language, literacy, creativity and thinking skills. These locally developed, age-appropriate books support play-based reading and learning and can be freely printed and used in early learning and home settings.

The Stories for Joy series on the ECD Info Hub offers open-licensed South African storybooks for children from birth to five, designed to build emergent language, literacy, creativity and thinking skills. These locally developed, age-appropriate books support play-based reading and learning and can be freely printed and used in early learning and home settings.

BBC Tiny Happy People is a free online resource from BBC Education (now part of CBeebies Parenting) that helps parents and caregivers support children’s early speech, language, and communication development from pregnancy through age 4. It offers fun activities, expert tips, videos, and evidence‑based advice to make everyday moments language‑rich and build strong early skills

BBC Tiny Happy People is a free online resource from BBC Education (now part of CBeebies Parenting) that helps parents and caregivers support children’s early speech, language, and communication development from pregnancy through age 4. It offers fun activities, expert tips, videos, and evidence‑based advice to make everyday moments language‑rich and build strong early skills

This article proposes the first global definition and conceptual framework of maternal wellbeing developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The framework expands the focus beyond survival in pregnancy and childbirth to include holistic physical, emotional, and social wellbeing throughout pregnancy and up to one year after pregnancy. It identifies six key domains (e.g., health, nutrition, care experience, safety, relationships, autonomy, culture) that shape maternal wellbeing and calls for developing measurement tools and interventions to guide policy and programs aimed at improving outcomes for women and families globally.

This article proposes the first global definition and conceptual framework of maternal wellbeing developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The framework expands the focus beyond survival in pregnancy and childbirth to include holistic physical, emotional, and social wellbeing throughout pregnancy and up to one year after pregnancy. It identifies six key domains (e.g., health, nutrition, care experience, safety, relationships, autonomy, culture) that shape maternal wellbeing and calls for developing measurement tools and interventions to guide policy and programs aimed at improving outcomes for women and families globally.

This article highlights how many South African children with hearing loss remain undiagnosed due to lack of universal newborn screening and limited audiology services, missing critical early intervention windows. Untreated hearing loss can impair communication, learning and development, increasing long‑term social and educational challenges. It calls for stronger early detection, equitable access to services, and systemic action to support affected children and families.

This article highlights how many South African children with hearing loss remain undiagnosed due to lack of universal newborn screening and limited audiology services, missing critical early intervention windows. Untreated hearing loss can impair communication, learning and development, increasing long‑term social and educational challenges. It calls for stronger early detection, equitable access to services, and systemic action to support affected children and families.

This study evaluated whether playful parenting programs delivered at scale in Bhutan, Serbia, and Zambia improve caregiver practices and children’s development. Using interviews, direct child assessments, and focus groups, researchers found small to modest improvements in parenting practices for some groups, but limited or no consistent effects on child development. Results suggest challenges with program reach, quality of delivery, and implementation at scale.

This study evaluated whether playful parenting programs delivered at scale in Bhutan, Serbia, and Zambia improve caregiver practices and children’s development. Using interviews, direct child assessments, and focus groups, researchers found small to modest improvements in parenting practices for some groups, but limited or no consistent effects on child development. Results suggest challenges with program reach, quality of delivery, and implementation at scale.

This guide is to help caregivers apply for a child grant even if the child lacks a birth certificate or the caregiver has no ID. It simplifies the process, clarifies requirements, and supports access to essential social assistance for vulnerable families.

This guide is to help caregivers apply for a child grant even if the child lacks a birth certificate or the caregiver has no ID. It simplifies the process, clarifies requirements, and supports access to essential social assistance for vulnerable families.