Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef

Introduction
Families under stress vary in their access to government-funded social protection, such
as grants and quality services, as well as to different kinds of community support. This
variability in access has implications for their well-being and that of their children. Grants
are social cash transfers like the old-age pension (OAP) and the child support grant (CSG).
Other social protection mechanisms include government-provided schooling, healthcare
and social welfare services. Community support includes assistance provided by civil
society organisations, community groups, neighbours and families.
This review was undertaken as one of the preparatory activities for a study that aims to
describe how children, families and communities cope with the combined challenges of
poverty and HIV/AIDS; how and why families and children affected by HIV/AIDS and
poverty vary in their access to grants, services and community support; the links between
poverty and HIV/AIDS and children’s well-being; and the influence of grants and services
on families and children, and what families need from the state, civil society and their
communities to assist them to support children’s well-being in conditions of poverty and
HIV/AIDS.
South Africa is a middle-income country, yet two-thirds of all children live in households
with incomes below the poverty line. In addition, many of these poor children do not
have access to good-quality education, health and social services. Since the advent of the
South African democratic state in 1994, a number of policies and programmes have been
put in place to support children and families. Despite this, most South African children
still live in very difficult circumstances.
Large numbers of South African children are being adversely affected by poverty and
the HIV/AIDS epidemic. South Africa has the largest number of HIV infections in the
world. In 2009 alone, 310 000 people are estimated to have died of AIDS-related illnesses.
Approximately 11 per cent of South African adults are estimated to be living with HIV,
more than half of whom are resident in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The
prevalence rises to nearly 40 per cent among women attending public antenatal services
in the worst affected areas. The most recent estimates are that 12.9 per cent of all children
aged 2–18 years have lost one or both parents, and that close to half of all parental deaths
are due to AIDS-related mortality.
When adults get sick, become unable to work, do household chores or care for children,
and perhaps even die, children may lose not only the care provided by parents but also
income and livelihood security, as well as their prospects of remaining in school and in
their home.
It is agreed at the international level that social protection, particularly income support
paid to the poorest families in communities affected by HIV/AIDS, is a strong policy
option for mitigating the combined effects of poverty and HIV/AIDS on children. In
budget and beneficiary terms, the CSG is one of the largest programmes targeted at
children in low- and middle-income countries. More than 8 million children benefit
from the CSG, with eligible (income means-tested) caregivers receiving R240 per month
for children 16 years and younger. Although access to the CSG is improving, available
research indicates that approximately 20 per cent of eligible families, mostly the poorest,
are not yet receiving grants for which they are eligible.
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