South Africa
SOUTH AFRICA’S INPUT
INTO THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE OPEN
WORKING GROUP ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOMENT GOALS,
18 JUNE 2013
NEW YORK
Health and development.
South African Policy Framework.
South Africa’s approach to health follows a rights-based, people-centred and
inclusive approach. It should always be remembered that people are both the
means and ultimate beneficiaries of initiatives to promote development.
• South Africa believes that gender perspectives to be mainstreamed
across all health goals and targets.
• South Africa is committed to the advancement of women’s rights
consistent with our constitutional framework, our values and our
international obligations. In this regard, our constitution promotes
women’s rights as human rights.
• South Africa’s position on sexual and reproductive health and rights is
framed by the South African constitution, the Maputo Declaration and
the African Charter on Human Rights. These documents explicitly include
girls, youth and adolescents as having the right to access sexual and
reproductive health services. South Africa’s approach is aligned to its
international treaty obligations i.e. International Covenant on Political
and Civil Rights, Beijing Platform of Action, CEDAW, International
Conference on Population and Development.
• South Africa’s has a progressive legislative environment where our
international obligations as signatories of relevant human rights treaties
and instruments have been translated into national legislative
frameworks capable of delivering on these commitments.
• South Africa's development is affected by what happens in the region
and the world. Success will depend on the country's understanding and
response to such developments. South Africa therefore supports a
strong focus on implementation at both the international and national
levels.
• South Africa works towards more affordable and equitable access to
health services and medicines, particularly for women, children, persons
with disabilities and other vulnerable groups most vulnerable to multiple
challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
• Mainstreaming of gender into budgeting processes is critical to the
building of equal societies. Therefore gender responsive budgeting
should be incorporated at all levels of budgeting planning processes
across all spheres and levels of government.
• Universal and inclusive access to healthcare services-explicit targets
should be set to reduce socio-economic, gender, age and other forms of
inequality. Inclusion of vulnerable groups i.e. women, children, youth,
elderly and persons with disabilities.
• Greater focus should be placed on prevention policies, programmes and
interventions in areas of communicable and noncommunicable/
lifestyle diseases and reducing tobacco use and the
misuse of alcohol and other drug-related substances.
What further efforts are needed to continue working on the unfinished
health MDGs and what approaches are most likely to yield positive and
significant health outcomes, especially for the poor in the post-2015 period?
• It is of utmost importance that work continues on the health
related MDGs (lowering maternal and child mortality and,
fighting HIV & AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria).
• South Africa is fully supportive of the proposal for the
implementation of Universal Health Coverage, which has been
proposed as a key intervention to improve global health as part
of the international development agenda beyond 2015. In this
regard it should be noted that countries have different “starting
points” in their readiness to implement it.
• South Africa’s view is that focus should be maintained on the
existing UN development agenda, particularly the
implementation of past decisions, undertakings and
commitments, i.e. implementation of the outcomes of past
Summits and Conferences. Means of implementation remain
critically important. Development partners must be encouraged
to honour their ODA and finance for development commitments
made at various high-level conferences and forumthat may be
linked to achieving specific health goals and targets.
What are countries’ experiences and views with regard to the best strategies
to reduce inequality and inequity in health coverage and access, particularly
regarding the need to reach disadvantaged groups such as women,
adolescents, indigenous people, migrants, and other vulnerable populations?
• Health has remained one of the apex priorities of the South African
Government. “Health for all” is one of the fifteen objectives that
constitute the South Africa’s recently adopted National Development
Plan (NDP) which sets out fifteen objectives that the Government wants
to achieve by 2030. It aims, inter alia, to:
Increase life expectancy from birth to seventy years;
Improve tuberculosis prevention and cure;
Reduce maternal, infant and child mortality;
Reduce prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases;
Reduce injury, accidents and violence by 50% from 2010
levels;
Coordinate the deployment of primary healthcare teams;
Ensure access to health care of equal standard, regardless
of income; and
Prioritise filling of posts with skilled, committed and
competent individuals.
• South Africa is currently piloting the National Health Insurance (NHI) in
ten sites across different provinces. The Government regards NHI as a
means of bringing about Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Government
regards NHI as a means of bringing about UHC.
• T
he South African Government has initiated public-private-partnerships to
rehabilitate public hospitals as a key component of the National Health
Insurance (NHI).
• South
Africa has set itself the goal of further reducing inequalities in health
care provision, to boost human resource capacity, revitalise hospitals
and clinics and step up the fight against the scourge of HIV and AIDS,
tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases.
• South Africa has implemented the Comprehensive Plan for the
Treatment, Management and Care of HIV and AIDS as an intervention
strategy to significantly reduce rates of new HIV infections and to aspire
to universal access for those in need of ARV treatment.
• The South African Government is addressing the issue of thecompetitive
remuneration of health professionals to incentivise the retention of key
skills in the public health sector in particular.
How to balance policy priorities and investments to deal with the unfinished
health agenda and at the same time to address shifting epidemiological
profiles such as the emergence of non-communicable diseases globally?
• The emergence of non-communicable diseases globally will require the
establishment of innovative public-private-partnerships and
collaboration at the international level with all relevant stakeholders,
including the UN system, private sectors, foundations and research
institutions.
• Targeted international media and information-campaigns will need to be
developed towards educating people on their healthcare rights and
choices as part of prevention strategies including at schools.
What is needed in order to implement a possible goal/or targets relating to
health?
• Work must continue on the health-related MDGs in relation to reducing
child mortality rates (Goal 4), improving maternal health (Goal 5) and
combating HIV and Aids, malaria, and other diseases (Goal 8). These
priorities will need to be an integral part of any future post-2015
development goal.
• The neglect of sexual and reproductive health and rights and violence
against women and girls constitute human rights violations that further
entrench inequalities and erode educational attainment, health, and
labour force participation for those affected. It also impacts negatively
on prospects for achieving sustainable development across social,
economic and environmental spheres by undermining opportunities for
bringing about greater balance between population and development
dynamics and the planets resources.
• Respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental
freedoms, without discrimination on any grounds must be the
foundation of a new global sustainable development agenda
underpinned by the principles of equality, equity and social justice for all
towards ensuring that “no one is left behind”.
• In the area of health and population dynamics, we need to fulfil the
“unfinished” promise of the 1994 ICPD Programme of Action and the
MDGs to ensure universal access to quality, affordable sexual and
reproductive health information, education and services, with priority
attention accorded to women, adolescents and youth, and communities
living in poverty.
• For the foreseeable future, policies should be viewed through a “youth
lens”, reflecting the rise of a largely youthful working-age population.
• Provide universal access to comprehensive sex education for all young
people.
• Create an enabling environment through legal and policy reforms and
public education for the exercise of human rights, including sexual and
reproductive health and rights for all, without discrimination, coercion
or violence on any grounds.
• Foster shared rights and responsibilities of men and boys in private and
public life, and end violence against women and girls through sustained
prevention campaigns designed to end harmful practices against girls,
including early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
Employment and decent work and social protection.
• In the attainment of sustainable development it is crucial to place
emphasis in the areas of decent work in employment and social
protection, however significant emphasis should be given in ensuring
equal wages for men and women, equal land rights, property and
inheritance rights, access to productive assets, agricultural support.
• Achieving full employment, decent work and sustainable livelihoods is
the only way to improve living standards and ensure a dignified
existence for all. Rising employment, productivity and incomes are the
surest long-term solution to reducing inequality.
• South Africa’s national initiatives are combining trade-led growth
strategies with proactive industrial, agricultural and services policies.
These initiatives define productive capability formation and employment
creation as two major policy objectives, seeking to incorporate them
into a coherent and integrated policy framework. This new policy
orientation is exemplified in South Africa’s Industrial Policy Action Plan
for 2010–2013. The revised Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP2) for 2011
– 2014 represents a consolidation and strengthening of plans and
programmes which have been upgraded to augment government’s
intervention to support industrial development and employment
creation and skills for the economy, to which innovation and technology
has been added.
• There is a need for gender responsive labour policies as well as social
protection systems such as affordable child care, care for the elderly,
disabled, those living with HIV/AIDS without any biases. Additionally,
there is a need for safe working conditions for all.
Education and Culture.
• Education should be the epicentre for sustainable development,
particular attention should be put on the elimination of illiteracy among
women, adolescent girls and young people. There is a need for universal
access to secondary education for all children without discrimination.
Importantly, though there is a need for focus on improving the quality
and content of education and facilitating the transition from school to
the work place.
• Young girls who fall pregnant during the school should be given
adequate support, particularly those affected by HIV/AIDS in order to
ensure that they complete their education. Furthermore, there is a need
to place emphasis on comprehensive sexuality education.
End.
INTO THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE OPEN
WORKING GROUP ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOMENT GOALS,
18 JUNE 2013
NEW YORK
Health and development.
South African Policy Framework.
South Africa’s approach to health follows a rights-based, people-centred and
inclusive approach. It should always be remembered that people are both the
means and ultimate beneficiaries of initiatives to promote development.
• South Africa believes that gender perspectives to be mainstreamed
across all health goals and targets.
• South Africa is committed to the advancement of women’s rights
consistent with our constitutional framework, our values and our
international obligations. In this regard, our constitution promotes
women’s rights as human rights.
• South Africa’s position on sexual and reproductive health and rights is
framed by the South African constitution, the Maputo Declaration and
the African Charter on Human Rights. These documents explicitly include
girls, youth and adolescents as having the right to access sexual and
reproductive health services. South Africa’s approach is aligned to its
international treaty obligations i.e. International Covenant on Political
and Civil Rights, Beijing Platform of Action, CEDAW, International
Conference on Population and Development.
• South Africa’s has a progressive legislative environment where our
international obligations as signatories of relevant human rights treaties
and instruments have been translated into national legislative
frameworks capable of delivering on these commitments.
• South Africa's development is affected by what happens in the region
and the world. Success will depend on the country's understanding and
response to such developments. South Africa therefore supports a
strong focus on implementation at both the international and national
levels.
• South Africa works towards more affordable and equitable access to
health services and medicines, particularly for women, children, persons
with disabilities and other vulnerable groups most vulnerable to multiple
challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
• Mainstreaming of gender into budgeting processes is critical to the
building of equal societies. Therefore gender responsive budgeting
should be incorporated at all levels of budgeting planning processes
across all spheres and levels of government.
• Universal and inclusive access to healthcare services-explicit targets
should be set to reduce socio-economic, gender, age and other forms of
inequality. Inclusion of vulnerable groups i.e. women, children, youth,
elderly and persons with disabilities.
• Greater focus should be placed on prevention policies, programmes and
interventions in areas of communicable and noncommunicable/
lifestyle diseases and reducing tobacco use and the
misuse of alcohol and other drug-related substances.
What further efforts are needed to continue working on the unfinished
health MDGs and what approaches are most likely to yield positive and
significant health outcomes, especially for the poor in the post-2015 period?
• It is of utmost importance that work continues on the health
related MDGs (lowering maternal and child mortality and,
fighting HIV & AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria).
• South Africa is fully supportive of the proposal for the
implementation of Universal Health Coverage, which has been
proposed as a key intervention to improve global health as part
of the international development agenda beyond 2015. In this
regard it should be noted that countries have different “starting
points” in their readiness to implement it.
• South Africa’s view is that focus should be maintained on the
existing UN development agenda, particularly the
implementation of past decisions, undertakings and
commitments, i.e. implementation of the outcomes of past
Summits and Conferences. Means of implementation remain
critically important. Development partners must be encouraged
to honour their ODA and finance for development commitments
made at various high-level conferences and forumthat may be
linked to achieving specific health goals and targets.
What are countries’ experiences and views with regard to the best strategies
to reduce inequality and inequity in health coverage and access, particularly
regarding the need to reach disadvantaged groups such as women,
adolescents, indigenous people, migrants, and other vulnerable populations?
• Health has remained one of the apex priorities of the South African
Government. “Health for all” is one of the fifteen objectives that
constitute the South Africa’s recently adopted National Development
Plan (NDP) which sets out fifteen objectives that the Government wants
to achieve by 2030. It aims, inter alia, to:
Increase life expectancy from birth to seventy years;
Improve tuberculosis prevention and cure;
Reduce maternal, infant and child mortality;
Reduce prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases;
Reduce injury, accidents and violence by 50% from 2010
levels;
Coordinate the deployment of primary healthcare teams;
Ensure access to health care of equal standard, regardless
of income; and
Prioritise filling of posts with skilled, committed and
competent individuals.
• South Africa is currently piloting the National Health Insurance (NHI) in
ten sites across different provinces. The Government regards NHI as a
means of bringing about Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Government
regards NHI as a means of bringing about UHC.
• T
he South African Government has initiated public-private-partnerships to
rehabilitate public hospitals as a key component of the National Health
Insurance (NHI).
• South
Africa has set itself the goal of further reducing inequalities in health
care provision, to boost human resource capacity, revitalise hospitals
and clinics and step up the fight against the scourge of HIV and AIDS,
tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases.
• South Africa has implemented the Comprehensive Plan for the
Treatment, Management and Care of HIV and AIDS as an intervention
strategy to significantly reduce rates of new HIV infections and to aspire
to universal access for those in need of ARV treatment.
• The South African Government is addressing the issue of thecompetitive
remuneration of health professionals to incentivise the retention of key
skills in the public health sector in particular.
How to balance policy priorities and investments to deal with the unfinished
health agenda and at the same time to address shifting epidemiological
profiles such as the emergence of non-communicable diseases globally?
• The emergence of non-communicable diseases globally will require the
establishment of innovative public-private-partnerships and
collaboration at the international level with all relevant stakeholders,
including the UN system, private sectors, foundations and research
institutions.
• Targeted international media and information-campaigns will need to be
developed towards educating people on their healthcare rights and
choices as part of prevention strategies including at schools.
What is needed in order to implement a possible goal/or targets relating to
health?
• Work must continue on the health-related MDGs in relation to reducing
child mortality rates (Goal 4), improving maternal health (Goal 5) and
combating HIV and Aids, malaria, and other diseases (Goal 8). These
priorities will need to be an integral part of any future post-2015
development goal.
• The neglect of sexual and reproductive health and rights and violence
against women and girls constitute human rights violations that further
entrench inequalities and erode educational attainment, health, and
labour force participation for those affected. It also impacts negatively
on prospects for achieving sustainable development across social,
economic and environmental spheres by undermining opportunities for
bringing about greater balance between population and development
dynamics and the planets resources.
• Respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental
freedoms, without discrimination on any grounds must be the
foundation of a new global sustainable development agenda
underpinned by the principles of equality, equity and social justice for all
towards ensuring that “no one is left behind”.
• In the area of health and population dynamics, we need to fulfil the
“unfinished” promise of the 1994 ICPD Programme of Action and the
MDGs to ensure universal access to quality, affordable sexual and
reproductive health information, education and services, with priority
attention accorded to women, adolescents and youth, and communities
living in poverty.
• For the foreseeable future, policies should be viewed through a “youth
lens”, reflecting the rise of a largely youthful working-age population.
• Provide universal access to comprehensive sex education for all young
people.
• Create an enabling environment through legal and policy reforms and
public education for the exercise of human rights, including sexual and
reproductive health and rights for all, without discrimination, coercion
or violence on any grounds.
• Foster shared rights and responsibilities of men and boys in private and
public life, and end violence against women and girls through sustained
prevention campaigns designed to end harmful practices against girls,
including early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
Employment and decent work and social protection.
• In the attainment of sustainable development it is crucial to place
emphasis in the areas of decent work in employment and social
protection, however significant emphasis should be given in ensuring
equal wages for men and women, equal land rights, property and
inheritance rights, access to productive assets, agricultural support.
• Achieving full employment, decent work and sustainable livelihoods is
the only way to improve living standards and ensure a dignified
existence for all. Rising employment, productivity and incomes are the
surest long-term solution to reducing inequality.
• South Africa’s national initiatives are combining trade-led growth
strategies with proactive industrial, agricultural and services policies.
These initiatives define productive capability formation and employment
creation as two major policy objectives, seeking to incorporate them
into a coherent and integrated policy framework. This new policy
orientation is exemplified in South Africa’s Industrial Policy Action Plan
for 2010–2013. The revised Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP2) for 2011
– 2014 represents a consolidation and strengthening of plans and
programmes which have been upgraded to augment government’s
intervention to support industrial development and employment
creation and skills for the economy, to which innovation and technology
has been added.
• There is a need for gender responsive labour policies as well as social
protection systems such as affordable child care, care for the elderly,
disabled, those living with HIV/AIDS without any biases. Additionally,
there is a need for safe working conditions for all.
Education and Culture.
• Education should be the epicentre for sustainable development,
particular attention should be put on the elimination of illiteracy among
women, adolescent girls and young people. There is a need for universal
access to secondary education for all children without discrimination.
Importantly, though there is a need for focus on improving the quality
and content of education and facilitating the transition from school to
the work place.
• Young girls who fall pregnant during the school should be given
adequate support, particularly those affected by HIV/AIDS in order to
ensure that they complete their education. Furthermore, there is a need
to place emphasis on comprehensive sexuality education.
End.
Stakeholders