Save the children South Africa (SCSA) is a child rights non-governmental organisation that endeavours to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate, lasting change in their lives. Save the Children South Africa welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the budget speech 2016.

The current situation for the South African child is dire. The Government of the Republic of South Africa inherited a child-rights landscape marked by the systemic exclusion of the majority of children from basic quality services, the geographical marginalisation of children in the former under-serviced homeland areas, high levels of child poverty, low education among children and their parents and caregivers, poor health and nutrition, and fractured families. South Africa’s historically marginalised children remain trapped in a poverty cycle.

Article 4 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) places an obligation on all governments and the international community to ‘undertake such measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international co-operation’ to ensure that children’s rights are realized.

Save the Children South Africa calls for the minister to commit to pledge sufficient, efficient and equitable spending to key services that benefit children, in particular Universal Health Coverage; free good-quality education; nutrition; and child protection services.

SCSA submits that to ensure equity the government must:

• Make spending on children visible in budget allocation;
• Optimize resource mobilization to invest in all children for the full realization of their rights;
• Allocate to the maximum extent possible to benefit all children, particularly the poorest and the most vulnerable; and
• Spent the available resources within a framework of open, inclusive and accountable governance to bring about positive outcomes for all children.

Moreover, Save the Children South Africa urges the minister to develop a policy of child budgeting that prioritises the needs of children; allocating sufficient budgets to provide for the basic needs of children; and a commitment to put in place appropriate laws and mechanisms to ensure efficient, effective utilization of budgets to bring about concrete child wellbeing outcomes. 

Submission prepared and submitted by: Abongile Sipondo, Save the Children’s Head of Advocacy and Campaigns

Any queries or comment may be directed to [email protected]; 012 430 7775