PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Stephen BlightChief of Child Protection

& Andries ViviersSocial Policy Specialist

25 May 2010

sblight@unicef.org or aviviers@unicef.org http://www.unicef.org/southafrica

UNICEF

Preamble

South Africa has made extraordinary advances over the past 14 years, but there remain

many challenges, all of them with consequences for children

and women.

UNICEF

UNICEF@Work• With its strong presence in 190 countries, UNICEF is the

world's leading advocate for children. • UNICEF operates as one of several United Nations

Agencies in South Africa• UNICEF’s work is guided by the UNDAF (United Nations

Development Assistance Framework) as agreed with the Government of South Africa

• UNICEF does not work on its own. Instead, we develop a Country Programme with Government and civil society partners.

• It is only through the involvement of our partners, communities and most importantly, children and young people, that we can understand what is required to build a world fit for children.

UNICEF

UNICEF@Work (2)

• UNICEF supports government and civil society in progressing the rights of children, while retaining its impartiality and neutrality

• UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary funds. Governments contribute two thirds of our resources; private groups and some 6 million individuals contribute the rest through our National Committees. 

• Guiding and monitoring all of UNICEF's work is a 36-member Executive Board made up of government representatives. They establish policies, approve programmes and decide on administrative and financial plans and budgets. Members are elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, usually for three-year terms.

UNICEF

UNICEF@Work (3)

• UNICEF South Africa has its country office in Pretoria and conduct is operations nation wide from there (at a national and provincial level).

• UNICEF South Africa has, with other UN Agencies, a basic cooperation agreement with Government of South Africa.

• UNICEF agrees on an Annual Work Plan with the Department of Social Development on areas of support and collaboration

UNICEF

Country Programme Structure

Crosscutting Program Components

Education & Adolescent

Development

Protection and care of children against all forms of abuse,

neglect and exploitation

Health & Nutrition Social Transformation& Strategic Leveraging

Programme Communication

External Relations

Young Child Survival and Development

MTSP

PROGRAMMES

HIV & AIDS

and Children

Child Protection from violence,

exploitation and abuse

Policy Advocacy and partnerships for children’s

rights

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN

Basic Education and Gender

Equality

Planning, Monitoring and

Evaluation

UNICEF

ISSUE: HIV and AIDS resulting in a growing number of orphans and vulnerable children. Currently 3.6 million orphans, many more living with sick or chronically ill parents

UNICEF ACTION: • UNICEF is strengthening DSD capacity to extend the reach of

comprehensive community-based programmes for orphans and other vulnerable children.

• In each province, UNICEF is assisting the DSD in ensuring that community childcare forums are reaching all of those children in need, that volunteers and caregivers are adequately trained, and that a comprehensive package of services is provided.

• Children in dealing with trauma and grief are being assisted by enabling caregivers to provide the very best psychosocial care and to protect their legal rights in the event of their parents death.

• Partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and the DSD a study that linked maternal ID numbers with children’s ID numbers on the population register to identify children remaining after mothers have died, which created data to establish the number if maternal orphans in the country.

Orphans and vulnerable children

UNICEF

ISSUE: Recent legislative reform sets the foundation of a comprehensive child protection system, but implementation requires support. 85%-90% of budget through DSD

UNICEF ACTION: • Publication of child friendly version of the Children’s Act• Costing and modeling of innovative provisions for cluster foster care• Supporting the transformation 375 children’s homes, shelters and

places of safety into Child and Youth Care Centres as per new regulations

• Developing national Guidelines for work with children in conflict with the law, and training of probation officers, assistant probation officers, and child and youth care workers

Implementation of Children’s Act & Child

Justice Act

UNICEF

ISSUE: High incidence of child abuse, large numbers of children at risk.

UNICEF ACTION: • Strengthening services for victims of abuse through roll out of

Thuthuzela Centres.• Strengthening systems for addressing large numbers of

unaccompanied migrant children.• Supporting implementation of child protection action plans to

respond to risks associated with the world cup.• Raising public awareness on child exploitation, abuse and

trafficking.

Preventing and responding to violence, abuse and

exploitation

UNICEF

ISSUE: Babies and young children lack access to quality early learning and development opportunities.

UNICEF ACTION: • Support the DoSD in the implementation and roll-out of the

national parenting programme.• Support DoSD with evidence and programmatic information in

the support and roll-out of non centre based early childhood development programmes.

• Support DoSD in their strategic leadership function towards the national integrated plan for early childhooddevelopment.

Early Childhood Development

UNICEF

ISSUE: National and provincial policies to enhance the rights of children

UNICEF ACTION: • Impact evaluation of the CSG with DSD and SASSA• Support DSD and SASSA in strengthening social grants evidence

based policy and operations• Finalise the Public Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) on ECD

with DSD, DoBE and National Treasury.• Analyze the probable effects of policies/measures outlined in

major policy statements on both money and non-money indicators of child well-being in South Africa.

• A study on the Impact of the International Economic Crisis on Child Poverty in South Africa

Social Policy

UNICEF

Partnering with Parliament

Parliaments throughout the world have the power to create real and lasting change for children. They can allocate resources from national budgets,

establish strong policy directions, and debate, shape and enforce laws that protect children. They can ask

tough questions, demand answers and hold governments, industries and civil society accountable. When parliaments speak on behalf of children, their

voices resonate. Parliaments are uniquely positioned to send the message that the well-being of children is

the responsibility not just of people who work with children, but of all society.

UNICEF

Partnering with Parliament

• On a global level, UNICEF works with the International Parliamentary Union

• Regional partnership with the SADC secretariat on parliaments’ action plans and minimum standards for OVC

• The majority of UNICEF’s parliamentary engagement is at the country level for support in law-making, oversight, budgeting and representation capacities to promote the rights of children.

• Parliaments draw upon UNICEF for its:- non-partisan mandate

- technical expertise and field presence - convening power with government, civil society and

media

UNICEF

Partnering with Parliament

• UNICEF sees the Houses of Parliament (National Assembly and NCOP) as strategic and key partners in the advancement of the well-being of children in South Africa.

• UNICEF sees parliament as a key partner and custodian for the rights of children in the country

• UNICEF is looking forward in exploring possible ways in which it can support relevant Select Committees, Portfolio Committees and the parliament in general to advance its oversight, legislative and other functions, focusing on the rights of children and their voices to be heard.

• Suggestions from the Portfolio Committee for Social Development will be valuable in taking our partnership and collaboration forward.

UNICEF

Partnering with Parliament: Resources

UNICEF/International Parliamentary Union Handbooks:

- Child protection; Child trafficking; Violence against children; Analysing budgets for children…

UNICEF South Africa Resources:- In the Child’s Best Interest: Identifying priority issues that Parliamentary Portfolio and Select Committees should address

- Reforming Child Law in South Africa: Budgeing and Implementation Planning

- Children’s Act Explained- See www.unicef.org/southafrica

UNICEF

Closing Remark

We are 44,098 parliamentariansglobally. Can’t we do somethingindividually and collectively thatcan change the lives of mothers

and children? We have the power.We have the voice. Do we have

the courage?Dr. Gertrude Mongella

President, Pan-African Parliament

UNICEF

THANK YOU