The SADC region has a young population with 76 percent of its population below the age of 35 years. Children below the age of 18 years comprise nearly half of the region’s population. Tailoring programs, agendas and budgets to meet the developmental needs of this demographic group is imperative to achievement of sustainable development.
Beyond the ratifications of international and regional child rights instruments, as well as promulgation of impeccable laws, realization of children’s rights will not be actualized until adequate public resources are availed.
This policy brief comes from a RIATT-ESA commission study on “The State of Funding for Children in SADC”