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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town

@childrensinstitute.bsky.social
86 followers 90 following 177 posts

Advancing #ChildrensRights through interdisciplinary and child-centred research, evidence-based advocacy, and education. An applied research unit of the University of Cape Town. ci.uct.ac.za | uct.ac.za

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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
We were delighted to be reunited with @bristoluni.bsky.social Pro Vice-Chancellor Esther Dermott this week at the @timeshighered.bsky.social World Academic Summit. Pic: Prof Wiedaad Slemming (UCT Children's Institute Director), Prof Dermott & Lucy Jamieson, one of our senior researchers. #THEWAS26
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
This week at the World Congress on #PublicHealth we held an organised session on the health system as a gateway to strengthening systems of support for women and children in the 1st 1000 days. We presented our work on: 1. Reshaping paradigms of antenatal care through group-based care #WCPH #WCPH2026
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
📰In case you missed it: What works to prevent & address school violence? In a Sunday Times opinion piece, Prof Shanaaz Mathews (UCT Health Sciences) & our Research Fellow Phiwe Nota explain that spending millions on cameras & private security is a misguided response. Read bit.ly/3SxkIvm #EndViolence
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
A new paper that we've co-authored focuses on street youth (aged 15 to 24) in three diverse African cities to better understand their resilience as a lived experience. Open access in the journal Children's Geographies: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... #StreetYouth #Resilience #ViolencePrevention
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The vast majority of South Africans do not support violence or the stripping of dignity from human beings as a response to immigration challenges. Our urgent concern is the impact on children. Our open letter to govt leaders: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026... #ChildrensRights #ChildProtection
dailymaverick.co.za
Open Letter: Mass arrests of foreign nationals, the rights of children, and the dignity of migrant families
Civil society has written an open letter to the ministers of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, International Relations and Cooperation, Home Affairs and Police urging them to halt ma...
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
The years-long struggles of many grandparents, parents and children were heard in court last week, as part of our case to get the Department of Home Affairs to fix the problems in its processes that cause enormous backlogs in birth registrations. Read more: bit.ly/4e22biV #InvisibleChildren
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
We've been meeting with children's rights stakeholders to deepen understanding of the #ChildGauge2025 findings – discussing the relationship between violence against women and children, and identifying ways to strengthen policies and practice so that we can #endviolence in homes and communities.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
With our collaborators from Makerere Univ, Pretoria Univ & Dundee Univ, our new article in the journal 'Vulnerable Children & Youth Studies' examines unconventional strategies, often negatively judged by society or the law, which allow street youth to survive. 🔓 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
This week our Director, Prof Slemming, presented to the Addis International Early Childhood Conference on how we use data to advance children’s rights. Children Count is among our projects she told gathered political leaders, development partners, researchers & practitioners about. #ECD #AddisAbaba
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Newly launched: Development Southern Africa special issue on stunting. It calls for South Africa to invest in structural solutions that address the root causes at scale. Our Director, A/Prof Wiedaad Slemming, is lead guest editor. 🔗 www.tandfonline.com/toc/cdsa20/4... #ECD #Nutrition #ChildHealth
tandfonline.com
Development Southern Africa
Prioritising the fight against stunting Guest Editors: Wiedaad Slemming, Gabrielle Wills, Tanya Ruder and Mastoera Sadan. Volume 42, Issue 6 of Development Southern Africa
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Today at 14:00 we're presenting our child-centred submission to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) Inquiry into Food Systems. We argue: health & development of children are compromised by a double burden of undernutrition & over-nutrition. 📄 bit.ly/4bz81Wr 📺 www.youtube.com/@SAHRC1
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Together with the teens of the Child Centred Governance Academy, & supported by Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, we’ve taken the findings of #ChildGauge2025, & created social media content that can be used to help young people understand the link between violence against women & children #EndViolence
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
New article💡 @bmj.com Paediatrics Open: As part of our work on #CommercialDeterminants of #ChildHealth, our @lori-lake.bsky.social has co-written this piece on how the food & drinks industry is a driver of the global epidemic of childhood overweight & obesity. bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/10/1...
bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com
Feeding Profit: how the food and drinks industry (FDI) is one of the key drivers of the global epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity
U N I C E F has published a report entitled Feeding Profit: how food environments are failing children.1 Since the 1970s, the food environment in high-income countries (HICs) has undergone change with...
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Are we doing enough to protect kids from extreme heat? Temperatures are climbing & fossil fuels are driving a rise in intensity, frequency & duration of heatwaves. Read more in article co-written by our @lori-lake.bsky.social 📰 www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025... #ClimateChange #SecuringFutures
An infographic explaining how to keep cool during extreme heat.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
50% of mental disorders have their onset before age 14, so intervening early in the lifecourse is vital to promote optimal mental health. 17% of SA’s children have a diagnosable and treatable mental disorder, yet only 1 in 10 are able to access care. Read more: bit.ly/4jDIVcC #MentalHealthMatters
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
🏫🎒🫶 How can schools transition from being environments that potentially reinforce violence, into sites that disrupt harm? Lasting change requires evidence-based whole-school strategies. Read more in #ChildGauge2025 bit.ly/4oqDxv4 or the op ed www.news24.com/opinions/ana... #BackToSchool #EndViolence
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
In this op ed, Dr Phiwe Nota & Prof Wiedaad Slemming highlight 3 approaches to guide SA’s efforts to prevent violence against women & children 👶🏽 start early 🔀 work across sectors, with Health Dept playing key role 🌱 transform harmful gender norms bit.ly/48JivSR #ChildGauge2025 #EndViolence #16Days
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
What actions are necessary to work effectively at the intersections of violence against women and violence against children? Read more of the #ChildGauge2025 recommendations in the full research publication or the policy brief: bit.ly/4oqDxv4 #EndViolence #16Days
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
There is increasing global evidence that violence against women & against children are deeply interconnected. These forms of violence often co-occur in the same households, share common risk factors & are perpetuated by societal norms that legitimise or tolerate violence #ChildGauge2025 #EndViolence
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
South Africa’s efforts to break intergenerational cycles of harm must treat violence against women and children as interconnected crises. Violence can be prevented. Govt must invest in transforming gender norms, and providing integrated services and trauma-informed care #ChildGauge2025 #EndViolence
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Opinion editorial #ChildGauge2025 🗞️ #16days of raising awareness of #GBV is alone not enough to counter 365 days of harmful social norms that perpetuate violence against women and children in homes and communities – from 1 generation to the next. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025... #EndViolence
dailymaverick.co.za
SA needs 365 days of community action to end violence against women, children
While awareness-raising campaigns about gender-based violence are important, they risk becoming tokenistic unless accompanied by sustained, community-driven transformation of social norms.
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Reposted by Children's Institute, University of Cape Town
Patrick Burton @patrickburtonsa.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
I wrote something! “It is past time to move beyond campaigns to raise awareness of these forms of (school) violence, as important as they are to draw attention to the problem.” #safeschools #endviolence @childrensinstitute.bsky.social www.news24.com/opinions/ana...
news24.com
ANALYSIS | Beyond punishment: Systematic solutions to end school violence | News24
Schools must transition from being environments that potentially reinforce violence into powerful platforms that disrupt it, writes Patrick Burton.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
📌📄 In case you missed it: Our Child Gauge 2025 poster. It explains key concepts & levers for change to #EndViolence against women & children. It also sets out recommendations for strengthening systems. Break the silos. Break the cycle. Keen to read more about this? 🔗 bit.ly/4oqDxv4 #ChildGauge2025
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Policy brief 📊⚙️ Break the silos. Break the cycle. Integrated approaches to #EndViolence against women and children. Read our key recommendations for building an ecosystem of support for families, schools and communities: bit.ly/4oqDxv4 #ChildGauge2025
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
"Ending violence is not just a moral imperative, it’s a smart economic investment." In a Sunday Times op ed, our #ChildGauge2025 editors argue for SA to use #G20Summit presidency to advocate for integrated response, addressing violence against women & against children simultaneously bit.ly/43mst9S
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
The #ChildGauge2025, released yesterday, has brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to interrogate the latest evidence on intersections of violence against women and children, and to share examples of promising policies and practice. 📚 Read/download bit.ly/4oqDxv4 #EndViolence
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Now underway: Launch of SA #ChildGauge2025. The focus of this year's edition is intersections of violence against women and children. Key findings are presented by @lucycpt.bsky.social (editor, Senior Researcher Children's Institute) & Prof Shanaaz Mathews (editor, UCT Health Sciences) #EndViolence
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Reposted by Children's Institute, University of Cape Town
Patrick Burton @patrickburtonsa.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
At my first event in South Africa for a few years (6!),the launch of the @childrensinstitute.bsky.social Child Gauge 2025, on the Intersections between violence against women and children (I wrote the chapter on schools!). Lovely to see some old friends.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Launching Tuesday 4 Nov 📗📊 ‘South African Child Gauge 2025 Intersections of violence against women and children: Disrupting intergenerational harm.’ Tomorrow we release our new research publication #ChildGauge2025, its policy brief and an easy-to-read poster summary of findings & recommendations.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Our #ChildGauge2024 underscores that young children are in crisis. 71% live in households that don't have sufficient income to meet their basic needs. Over 1 in every 4 kids under 5 are stunted–a sign of chronic malnutrition. What urgent action is needed? Read our key recommendations bit.ly/4fV4C5y
bit.ly
Child Gauge 2024: Early childhood development | University of Cape Town
South Africa must invest in early childhood, to build a strong foundation for national development
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Reflections on South African #ChildGauge2024: Enhancing ECD. A year ago, we released the 17th edition of our Child Gauge, bringing together over 50 contributors from across the country to track progress since the inception of the National Integrated #ECD Policy in 2015 and set an agenda for 2030.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Resource for parents & caregivers on ECD ❤️🧠🩺 Drawing on the findings of our 2024 South African Child Gauge, we've created a short and easy to read guide for families on #ECD. It aims to help families better understand & support development of young children, right from pregnancy. 🔗 bit.ly/4fV4C5y
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
In case you missed it: Supreme Court of Appeal ordered SA Council for Educators to redraft its mandatory sanctions policy related to #corporalpunishment, in consultation with us & @upchildlaw.bsky.social. Our @lucycpt.bsky.social spoke to News24 & Cape Talk on this 📻 bit.ly/47q4gSN 📰 bit.ly/4ngWmQy
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
New commentary💡As part of our work on #commercialdeterminants of health, we reflect on Milson et al’s work & how their systems thinking & causal loop diagrams can deepen understanding – and responses to – commercial determinants. International Journal of Health Policy & Management 🔓🔗 bit.ly/4g8NDNO
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Advocacy symposium: Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, spoke powerfully on how paediatricians can respond to children in crisis, at a recent advocacy symposium of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Policy briefs 💡 📄 ⚙️ How should #streetyouth be supported to be resilient? The 2REST research project recognises that social, institutional and physical environment factors are key to #resilience (multisystemic resilience). Read our recommendations in new policy briefs 🔗 ci.uct.ac.za/articles/202...
ci.uct.ac.za
Supporting street youth to be resilient
Policy briefs of the research project Responsibilities for Resilience Embedded in Street Temporalities (2REST)
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Reposted by Children's Institute, University of Cape Town
UNICEF @unicef.org · 29/07/2025
Gaza faces the severe risk of famine as food consumption and nutrition indicators have reached their worst levels since the conflict began. Read more: unicef.link/3HaUx85
Over 500,000 people – nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population – are enduring famine-like conditions, while the remaining population is facing emergency levels of hunger.

Time is running out to mount a full-scale humanitarian response.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
In case you missed it: As our @lori-lake.bsky.social explains, this article she co-wrote highlights how formula milk companies target health professionals - offering gifts of sponsorship to up sales. It calls for severing ties with industry to eliminate conflicts of interest #NoSuchThingAsAFreeLunch
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Reposted by Children's Institute, University of Cape Town
UNICEF @unicef.org · 21/07/2025
This is a man-made disaster. Enough is enough. The United Nations must be allowed to deliver aid of all types at scale to families in Gaza, wherever they are.
Starvation is a horrific reality for children and families in Gaza.

Aid at scale must be allowed in urgently.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
In international news 📺 Qamani wants to play professional soccer, but because he doesn’t have a birth certificate he’s not allowed to take part in tournaments. He is raised by his grandmother, who’s been trying for 4 years to register his birth with the Department of Home Affairs #InvisibleChildren
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Dissemination workshop: Responsibilities for Resilience Embedded in Street Temporalities (2REST). The lived realities for children and youth in many African cities are of rising inequality and poverty, with the number & proportion of youth in African countries rising.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
Robert F Kennedy Jr’s vaccine stance is completely at odds with global public health community & vaccine science, ignoring years of research that have found #vaccines safe, effective & have saved an estimated 154 million lives— mostly under age 5— over the past 50 years bhekisisa.org/health-news-...
bhekisisa.org
Making diphtheria great again? Why SA’s public health experts are worried about RFK Jr - Bhekisisa
Misinformation fuelled by US health czar Robert Kennedy Jr is creating a dangerous — and growing — lack of trust in vaccines. Here’s why South Africa’s public health experts are scared.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
In case you missed it 🎞️ Last night the South Africa launch of the United & Unique doccie took place. Youths from SA & Northern Ireland who’ve lived in foster care or child and youth centres, co-produced the film to share their experiences of alternative care & their hopes for change #VoiceAndAgency
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
United and Unique documentary launch 🎬 Young adults from South Africa and Northern Ireland, who have experienced foster care or child and youth care centres, have co-produced a film that shares their insights into alternative care and leaving care, and their hopes for change. #VoiceAndAgency
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Protecting children from violence: Our Senior Researcher @lucycpt.bsky.social recently sat down with eNCA News for a crucial conversation on child protection - discussing the systemic failures and the evidence-based interventions. 📺 🔗 www.enca.com/shows/last-w... #ChildProtection #ViolencePrevention
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
News 📰 12 of 15 caregivers in our legal action against Home Affairs now have birth certificates for their kids! But our case (with @lrc.org.za) is also aimed at fixing system failures causing 258,000 kids & young adults to be invisible due birth registation delays 🔗 bit.ly/46wHgkz #InvisibleChildren
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
There is growing evidence that products and practices of large corporations are responsible for increasing rates of avoidable health problems, and health and social inequity. These problems are known as the commercial determinants of health - private sector activities that affect people’s health.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
New journal article 💡 As part of our work on commercial determinants of child health we've co-written this on the urgent need to end sponsorship of healthcare professional associations by the milk formula industry. It undermines breastfeeding & compromises maternal & child health 🔓🔗 bit.ly/3Ibw2bd
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
In case you missed it: Watch this short explainer on our court case, seeking relief for over 250,000 kids and adults whose constitutional rights and access to basic services are ensnared in excessive and inefficient admin processes. We’re represented by @lrc.org.za in this case against Home Affairs.
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Children's Institute, University of Cape Town @childrensinstitute.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
In May 2023, the Home Affairs Minister acknowledged to Parliament that a backlog of over 250,000 applications for late registration of birth had accumulated (2018-2022). This huge figure is not our estimate. As part of our court case, we've asked Home Affairs to provide updated data for 2023 onward.
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