by Martin Williams, Li Jianmin
JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Universal Children's Day, celebrated around the world on Nov. 20, is different for South Africa, where thousands of children scarcely know childhood in any normal sense.
AIDS has deprived them of that opportunity by taking away their parents, leaving them to shoulder the burden of supporting their families.
Last year, a report submitted by the Center for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg to the country's National Department of Education said: "South Africa has 118,500 children living in 66,500 child-headed households (CHH), accounting for roughly 0.7 percent of all children and 0.6 percent of all households in the country."
The ratio of children living in child-headed households to those living in households where adults are resident is relatively small yet poses a potentially huge problem.
"Although the South African government and the constitution are regarded as enlightened, households affected by AIDS still suffer the effects of social stigma," Zamani Maqoko and Yolanda Dreyer, from the Department of Practical Theology at the University of Pretoria, pointed out in a recent research paper.
They said that, by the year 2002, 14 million children had been orphaned globally because of the AIDS pandemic, most of whom became the heads of households. This had forced them to drop out of school and find jobs to support themselves and their siblings.
"Misinformation, ignorance and prejudice limit the willingness of the community to offer help to those orphans who have suffered from the disease," the researchers said in trying to explain why the African philosophy of Ubuntu (humaneness) does not seem to make a difference.
They found that, in many cases, HIV/AIDS orphans had been scorned, discriminated against and isolated so much, they preferred to stay away from school. Others felt bad when they couldn't afford school uniforms or tuition fees.
Their miserable situation has taken a toll on orphaned children's education, with households that have been crippled by HIV/AIDS finding it hard to cope with even primary education fees.
The loss of income, reduction in agricultural output and high costs of health care and medication all make tuition less affordable for those families.
They are also vulnerable to sexual and physical exploitation and HIV infection.
Many of HIV/AIDS orphans' experiences can be deemed as traumatic. This trauma is widespread in society and can have serious effects not only on those who are exposed to it, but also on those who offer help. Even organizations set up to help survivors of trauma can be badly affected unless they build mechanisms to look after themselves.
And it is not only AIDS that leaves children in charge of households. In many cases, adults have to find work far away from home, increasing the number of child-headed households during the week.
These children have to be responsible for their own food, financial management, school attendance during the week.
Another social issue that deprives girls of their childhood is pregnancy.
"Teenage pregnancy is an important indicator of teenage girls' situation, especially in regard to its effects on schooling. In 2002, up to 66,000 teenage girls were reported to be pregnant, which served as the main reason for the low school attendance of girls," said Pali Lehohla, Statistician-General of Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
In South Africa, there has been much debate over the link between teenage pregnancy and social grants. Some argued that impoverished girls fell pregnant in order to receive the monthly payment of 240 rand (about 30 U.S. dollars) from the government. However, a recent study by the Human Sciences Research Council hasn't found enough evidences to back this argument.
What is certain is that for thousands, childhood is cut short. And the children to whom they give birth do not always have the best chance in life.
The latest Stats SA figures in July estimated infant mortality was 45.7 percent and the total number of new HIV infections in South Africa in 2009 was 413,000, of whom an estimated 59,000 will be children.
According to Stats SA, approximately 106,000 children will be in need of anti-retroviral treatment for AIDS this year.
Universal Children's Day is held under the sponsorship of the United Nations. On Nov. 20 1989, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child and opened it for signature.
It came into force on Sept. 2, 1990 after it was ratified by the required number of nations. As of December 2008, 193 countries had ratified it, including all member states of the United Nations except the United States and Somalia.
Special report: Global News Day for Children
