MINISTER CALLS FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN

Issued by: Ministery of Social Development

31 October 2001

The Minister of Social Development Dr. Zola Skweyiya has called on the public, the business sector, the international donor community and the United Nations, to increase their support for community volunteers' initiatives that are assisting vulnerable children especially those infected or affected by HIV/ AIDS in poor communities.

"In many community-based projects I have visited I have been inspired by the way community volunteers have organised to provide support for orphaned and vulnerable children. Community and voluntary initiatives need to be recognised and supported. The experience of retired teachers, nurses and other professionals should be utilised more effectively," the Minister said.

He said the concerns poor communities expressed during his countrywide visits were difficulty in obtaining nutritional food which the lack of led to chronic malnutrition.

"Food security and nutrition has now become one of the priorities of the social cluster of Ministers for the 2001 - 2002 period and this issue is being addressed in an integrated manner," the Minister said.

The Minister spoke at the National Conference on Children in Need of Special Protection at the University of the Western Cape yesterday.

He said that government focus is on accelerating delivery in this regard, by amongst others:

• Developing immediate responses to emergencies and those chronic situations of malnutrition
• Removing bureaucratic inefficiencies in the delivery system.
• Improving efficiency in the provision of birth certificates and identity documents thereby ensuring quicker access to services by poor communities
• Distributing food parcels to mitigate hunger amongst the poorest of the poor
• Increasing accessibility of poverty relief funds by the poor communities

The Minister also said that because of the growing number of orphans and child-headed families due to the HIV/AIDS scourge, the provision of more institutional care was being seriously looked at.

"Although we and the Department of Health provide support through our Home and Community Based Care Programme, the provision of more institutional care cannot be ruled out," the Minister said. At the Round Table Conference that the Minister held with the United Nations Agencies earlier this week, the UN system agreed in principle to increase support for the programmes and policies relating to the most vulnerable children as well as other social development imperatives in general.

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