South African Early Childhood Review 2024

30 years into democracy, the average child in South Africa is chronically underpowered to reach their full potential. The 7th Administration is a window of opportunity to turn things around.

According to the Review, which tracks data on the status of children under six years, young children in South Africa are more likely to live in poverty, suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition, and die before their fifth birthday than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Review presents information on essential components of the comprehensive package of ECD services. It includes data and commentary on the status of children under the age of six, and service delivery progress across five domains:

Primary-level maternal and child health
Nutrition
Support for primary caregivers
Income support and social services
Stimulation for early learning

This is a collaboration between Ilifa Labantwana, the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town, DataDrive2030, the Grow Great Campaign, the Department for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency, and the Department of Basic Education.

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Introduction

Presentations

The downloadable summary slide decks below are from the six chapters in the South African Early Childhood Review 2024. Please refer to the full report for further context on the slide contents.