| Challenge to business to get involved in fight for children's rights |
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| July 24, 2008 | |
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South Africa is facing a devastating crisis as more children contract HIV and the number of orphans - orphaned through factors such as HIV and AIDS - may rise from almost four million in 2006 to over five million by 2015, according to the Children's Rights Centre (CRC).
Vawda pointed out at the Children are Everyone's Business breakfast on 22 July 2008 in Johannesburg that, "companies need to ensure that they have a list of employees' beneficiaries that is continually updated. They need to have systems in place to ensure that the benefits that companies pay on behalf of employees are paid out to beneficiaries such as children in the event of their death," Vawda said. "Children constitute 40% (17 million) of all people in South Africa, representing the largest single grouping in the country. As employers and employees, our children's lives affect why we work, how we perform in the workplace, what we do with our income and benefits, and what support is required for us to function effectively." She argued that most companies had some form of death benefit in place but often did not keep track of employees' children and other beneficiaries. In the event of an employee's death, it is often up to the beneficiaries, who may be young children, to apply for the insurance payout. Additionally, many children have HIV and, according to research, these numbers are growing. HIV prevalence in under-18-year-olds doubled between 2000 and 2006. An estimated 360 000 children (0 to 18-year-olds) are living with HIV[1]. Most children with HIV are young - under five years old[2]. About nine of the 10 children living with HIV contract it during pregnancy, at birth or through breastfeeding. HIV and AIDS accounts for 40% of deaths in children under five years, but it could be eliminated with improved prevention in adults and effective PMTCT. Companies also have a role to play in supporting PMTCT programmes, in supporting their employees and family members to get tested, particularly during pregnancy, and to take preventative measures as well as to encourage employees to have their children tested for HIV. The CRC believes that businesses have a responsibility to include children in workplace policies. "We need to identify where children are in any business, whether as consumers or children of employees, and to act to protect and realise their rights. Helping our children to learn their rights is all of our responsibility. South Africa needs to become a child-friendly society," Vawda said.
The reconstituted SANAC, the lead agency in the fight against HIV/AIDS, was officially launched at the beginning of May 2007 and is chaired by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. SANAC has endorsed the National Strategic HIV and AIDS Plan for 2007 - 2011 (NSP). The main goal of the five-year plan is to reduce the rate of new HIV infections and mitigate the effect of AIDS on individuals, families and communities.
The current (2007-2009) Childrens Sector representatives on SANAC are Cati Vawda, the director of the Children's Rights Centre (the chairperson of the Children's Sector), Dr. Ashraf Coovadia from Asiphilane, Wits Paediatric Clinics and Menaka Jayakody from CHAIN - Western Cape NACOSA. Vawda noted that many of the issues children's groups raised were already part of the NSP, such as the need to ensure that children were an integral part of company's workplace policies. "We are often encouraged to leave work at the workplace and home outside of the workplace; however, HIV/AIDS forces us all to act across such lines," she said.
"I am sure that you will agree with me that this situation is less than strategic, and in many cases may subvert the strength of children's organisations as they have to compete with one another to obtain scarce funding. Surely a different relationship needs to be developed, to achieve a more lasting, overarching relationship between the children and the private sector." SABCOHA aims to co-ordinate a private sector response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. SABCOHA is a member-driven organisation and, since the beginning of 2007, its membership base has posted significant growth, with several big corporations, medium-sized enterprises and smaller companies, including service providers, joining forces in the private sector initiative to combat HIV/AIDS. - By Les Tilley for SABCOHA Click here for more information on CRC: Click here for more on SANAC: Related articles: Thokomala: Giving orphaned children the best possible chance for a better future [1] "HIV Prevalence Among Children", based on Actuarial Society of South Africa (2005) ASSA2003 AIDS and Demographic Model (available http://www.assa.org.za/) in Children Count, Children's Institute accessed from their website http://www.childrencount.ci.org.za/ on 8 April 2008 [2] "HIV Prevalence Among Children", based on Actuarial Society of South Africa (2005) ASSA2003 AIDS and Demographic Model (available http://www.assa.org.za/) in Children Count, Children's Institute accessed from their website http://www.childrencount.ci.org.za/ on 8 April 2008 |
Speaking at the South African Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS' monthly breakfast, Cati Vawda of the CRC challenged businesses to implement systems to monitor their interaction with children, whether as consumers or relations of employees.
The Children's Rights Centre is the secretariat for the Children's Sector HIV/AIDS National Network (CHANN). CHANN is a broad group of civil society networks and organisations concerned with children and HIV and AIDS. It has a strong monitoring and advocacy function throughout South Africa and represents children's issues on the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).
Brad Mears, the chief executive of SABCOHA, said: "It may seem an anathema for business to consider a more strategic involvement in children, as many may think that there is no link between an epidemic ravaging children, and the interests and sustainability of the private sector. This perception may have been entrenched because organisations dealing with the plight of children are constantly seen with their hands extended, asking for what little may be given to them by companies. Fatigue amongst these organisations and companies has begun to creep in.