This edition of Child Rights in Focus, produced by the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town, focuses on the Fourth World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights, which took place in Cape Town in March 2005.

The eight Children’s Institute papers presented at the event reflected on the progress in realising the socio-economic rights of South African children and the accompanying complex challenges that we face in our national reform programme to give effect to these rights. The papers focused on the rights to health care, nutrition, shelter, social security, water and sanitation, social services, family care, participation, education and protection from abuse and neglect.

All the papers highlighted the need for policies and laws to be drafted within a rights-based framework and with adequate consultation with the children and caregivers who will be most affected by the relevant policy or law. This approach is recommended to ensure that the mechanisms created in policies and laws give effect to our constitutional and international obligations to children. At the same time it is aimed at providing workable solutions for children and their families in the face of complex challenges in the time of HIV/AIDS and poverty.

We trust that you will find the articles informative and inspirational.