All protocol observed
We appreciate the efforts made by the Human Rights Commission to convene this workshop focusing on equity in the realisation of rights of children. South Africa has passed a number of pieces of legislation and policies that protect and promote the rights of children. Our country is also a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child which encompasses the package of rights that need to be enjoyed by all children of the world.
It is therefore important that at various intervals, we look at the totality of these rights, review progress and outline measures that have to be taken to address various challenges limiting the realisation of these rights. This workshop provides us with that opportunity. I must also mention that the Department for Women, Children and People with Disabilities will be convening the National Children Advisory Council on 4 April to look at the number of issues affecting children. I would like to encourage all stakeholders in the children’s rights sector to attend this meeting.
I would like to upfront express the unwavering commitment of government of South Africa towards the realisation of rights of all children. We acknowledge the historical challenges that still limit progress in attainment of these rights.
Children’s right to adequate standard of living
One such challenge is poverty. Poverty tends to affect more women, children and people with disabilities, especially in the rural areas. Government has prioritised programmes to eradicate poverty and progress has been made in the regard.
The report on the Millennium Development Goals (2010) indicates that government’s poverty alleviation programme increased dramatically between 1997 and 2010. The number of beneficiaries of income support programmes increased from 2.6 million to 14 million during this period.
Programme director, the report on South Africa’s Children report we are launching today indicates that some 2.1 million children eligible for the child support grant were not receiving it in 2008, mainly due to lack of documentation. Government has intensified its campaign to raise awareness about eligebility for these grants. The Department of Home Affairs is strengthening efforts to ensure that all children are registered at birth and South Afriacn Social Security Agency has expanded access for applicants across the country.
We do take note of the statement in the report that 1.4 million (8 percent) children live in households that rely on rivers or streams as their main source of drinking water. Over the past 17 years of our democracy, there have been concerted effort to improve access to basic services. Electricty coverege had reached 80 percent by 2007 while access to safe water increased from 74 percent in 2001 to 88 percent in 2007 according to the fiftieen year review report.
Children’s rights to life and basic health
The right of access to healthcare is stipulated our Constituon and government has made progress in expanding heath infrastructure and access to primary heath care towards the realisation of this right. However environmental factors such as epidemics, socio-economic conditions and access to other services affecting reproductive health are somehow deterring progress on the realisation of children’s rights to heatlh.
Child mortality remains high primarily due to the impact of HIV and AIDS. Government is responding to this challenge through the implementation of the extended Primary Health Care (PHC) programmes and the HIV and AIDS strategic plan.
The number of number of children between 0 to 14 years who receive Antiretroviral Treatment have been increased significantly. The improvement of antiretroviral drugs combination for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV has also made improvements in mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS on mothers andchildren.
As the ministry responsible for the protection and promotion of rights of women, children and people with disabilities, we have much interest in the improvement of the health system in our country. Health performance has a direct impact on the lives of all the three constituencies we represent.
We have therefore signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health outlining the key areas of collaboration. We have agreed to work together in dealing with maternal and child mortality; HIV Counseling and Testing Campaign, Prevention of Mother-To-Child-Transmission of HIV and the broader area of women’s health including the provision of sanitary towels to indigent women and girls.
Right to early childhood development and education
Programme director like health, education is one of the five key priorities of government. Early Childhood Development (ECD) in particular has been legislated in the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. This move seeks to ensure that the right to stimulation, cognitive development and as well as readiness for school are realised.
According to the Education for All report (2009) of the Department of Basic Education, 646 000 children were enrolled in 13 700 registered ECD centres. These ECD centres receive a subsidy of between R9 to R12 per child per day.
According to the General Household Survey (2008), the percentage of 5-year olds attending education institutions increased from 40 percent in 2002 to 63 percent in 2008. These figures include children in school-based as well as non-school education programmes. This significant growth is undoubtedly the result of government’s prioritisation of the reception year programme.
Government’s prioritisation of early childhood development is reflected in public expenditure on this programme, which is projected to grow strongly over the medium term. This includes the Department of Basic Education plans to build 1 300 Grade R facilities over the next three years in public schools. Government target is to ensure that through the combination of public, private and subsidised Grade R programmes, all 5 to 6 year old children should have access to Grade R programmes by 2014.
Enrolment of children of compulsory school going age is high in our education system. While very few children in the 7 to 15 age group are out of school, results from the Community Survey 2007 show that 22 percent of children with a disability were out of school in this age group.
Children with communication and emotional disability were most vulnerable to drop-out. School dropout as a result of disability is an area we need to explore further. Research specifically focused on disabled children and access to education and a range of other services is urgently needed.
The Department for Women, Children and People with Disabilities is to conduct audit of all special schools in the country to establish the current conditions and measures needed to address various challenges that have been reported. Our advocacy activities will also focus on supporting the implementation of inclusive education policy as required by the UN Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In conclusion, I need to emphasise that our efforts towards full realisation of rights of children can only succeed through a strong collaboration between government, civil society and UN Agencies and other development partners. The Situation Analysis of Children’s Rights conducted by government, with the technical support from UNICEF, should assist in shaping up a clear programme towards attainment of these rights.
I am looking forward to the outcomes of this workshop. I believe these deliberations will contribute towards enriching our task of coordinating the country programmes aimed at realisation of the total package of rights that all our children must enjoy.
I wish you fruitful deliberations.
Thank you.
Source: Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities
