On National Children’s Day, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund launches study on child poverty

JOHANNESBURG - As the country commemorates National Children’s Day, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund is launching what it called a groundbreaking study on child poverty.

The study aims to bring much-needed attention to the daily struggles faced by millions of children, nearly half of whom live in poverty. 

It's expected to highlight urgent challenges while offering realistic, actionable solutions to improve young lives.

Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund addressed those in attendance at Saturday’s event, highlighting the need to address issues facing children.

In previous engagements, Ncube-Nkomo called child poverty a barrier to national progress. 

Alongside her, a panel of leaders, including representatives from Brand South Africa and the Department of Social Development, will discuss scalable interventions and close the event with a formal pledge to intensify efforts to end child poverty. 

Sustainability officer Ashleigh Theophanides explained the importance of the study: "This report should be seen as a starting point of conversations for decision-making and for further investigations around the economic impact of child poverty in South Africa."