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South Africa

We're protecting children, giving them a healthy start and a chance to learn.

40% of the population survives on less than R16 a day. Many don’t have access to proper healthcare and, each year in South Africa, 50,000 children under the age of five die largely from preventable or treatable causes.

Children living in poverty are less likely to have enough to eat or go to school. When they’re ill, they’re unlikely to get medical treatment. They live in houses without running water or toilets, and they’re more likely to be abused or neglected. Enormous class sizes coupled with harsh discipline makes for a poor-quality education for many.

We're working to ensure that quality education for all, especially the most vulnerable children. We fight for inclusive education, mobilising communities and working with parents, caregivers and communities to provide opportunities for reading, learning and studying. 

In healthcare, we're promoting effective newborn care, helping to prevent malnutrition among young children and promoting quality sexual and reproductive health services.

And in our child protection work, we're focusing on ending violence against children, positive parenting and ensuring unaccompanied migrant children in South Africa have their rights protected.

Page updated October 2021

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