Africa reportedly has the highest incidence of child labour in the world. To respond to this problem, some scholars recommend an outright ban on child labour through legislation. In this regard, most African countries, including South Africa (SA), have enacted legislation directed at banning child labour. However, legislation directed at banning child labour may impact negatively on certain fundamental rights of children. This is because child labour is sometimes a source of income for many children who may themselves have ‘dependants’. For instance, for children in desperate need, adherence to laws which have the effect of depriving them of basic necessities including food, housing and water is unrealistic, inadequate and totally ineffective. A notable example is with regard to orphaned children. Taking such children out of employment is counter-productive as they are left with no means of survival. On the other hand, though child labour contributes to the survival of many children and their families in Africa, it impacts negatively on fundamental rights of children. Some of these rights include the right to education, health, leisure, among others. Therefore, regardless of the circumstances that compel children to engage in child labour, it remains a problem that needs to be addressed through appropriate approaches. This study stresses that the approaches adopted need to be cognizant of the diverse circumstances under which children engage in child labour. / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2011. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / nf2012 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

HIV/AIDS has done a great damage to families and their children. Due to HIV/AIDS, grandmothers find themselves caring for their sick children, grandchildren and orphaned grandchildren. Because of the large number of AIDS orphans, the existing pool of community-based support has become saturated. Therefore these children now have to fend for themselves. They are forced to become heads of the households and breadwinners. In this situation the older children have to assume the role of looking after their siblings. Death caused by HIV/AIDS leaves children vulnerable, in great distress and poverty. The stigma and discrimination related to the HIV/AIDS pandemic has resulted in the isolation of infected persons and their family members. Sometimes the isolation continues until and even after the children become orphans. It is a fact that HIV/AIDS orphans as heads of households are undergoing traumatic experiences. On the psychological level children are traumatized by the illness of their parent(s). Because of the high rate of unemployed and pervasive poverty in this country many families are reluctant to take in orphans. Other problems are: the cost of treating illnesses caused by HIV/AIDS places a huge economic burden on families. After death, funeral expenses contribute to the toll exacted by HIV/AIDS. It becomes increasingly impossible for families and communities to absorb the cost and support the large numbers of children alone. Some women hesitate to take in the orphaned children of their relatives because they fear that their husbands will abuse the children Investigation into the existing literature reveals that previous studies concentrated mostly on the educational, psychosocial and emotional needs of people with HIV/AIDS. Studies on child headed households’ deals primarily with children’s rights and the accessibility of social grants for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Although not much was available statistically, for the purpose of this study I have identified several households headed by children, whether the cause of this was HIV/AIDS or misfortunes such as parental suicide or accidents. This study has focused on the experiences of HIV/AIDS orphans in child headed households. This study has also investigated whether HIV/AIDS orphans suffer more deeply psychologically and emotionally than children who have been orphaned by other circumstances other than AIDS. This study highlights the many difficulties and setbacks experienced by HIV/AIDS orphans who become heads of households after the death of their parents. An exploratory research design was utilised and qualitative approach was followed. Five households were chosen as samples that complied with requirements of this study. Participants in these households were between ages 13 and 18 years old. The information gathered by means of literature and empirical research reveals that the children affected by HIV/AIDS are not only physically impoverished, but also psychologically, socially and spiritually. They suffer from fear, depression, stress, anxiety, stigmatisation and discrimination, isolation, and are often scorned by peers. HIV/AIDS orphans experience psychological trauma on account of witnessing their parent’s illness and death (or departure), carrying the responsibility of caring for sick parents, and after their death, for siblings. The socio-economic circumstances of HIV/AIDS orphans in child headed household often force them to drop out of school, in order to find ways of providing for the family. The traumatic experience of HIV/AIDS orphans and children who have been orphaned to other circumstances, are similar. The following themes can be considered for future research:<ul> <li>Stress experienced by HIV/AIDS orphans in child headed households due to HIV/AIDS</li>. <li>The role of churches in identifying and supporting orphans in child headed households</li>.</ul> / Dissertation (MTheol(Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology) at the University of Zululand. 2006. / The research investigated the factors which contributed to orphaned learners resilience. Resilience was measured as good academic achievement of orphaned learners. This stud} further investigated the relationship between an area type and custodian type respectively and the resilience of orphaned learners. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 183-orphaned learners, in the intermediate phase of Primary school. 12 schools in Vryheid District participated in the study. The findings of the study suggested among the three factors: familial, societal and school factors, family factors were the most significant factors in relation to resilience. No significant relationship was found between the custodian type and academic achievement of orphaned learners. The significant relationship found in this study indicated that the type of an area appeared to influence the resilience of orphaned learners. The study further revealed that a large number of orphaned learners stayed and were cared for by their grandparents.

Les orphelins (enfants, adolescents et jeunes adultes qui ont perdu un ou deux parents par décès) n’ont pas de statut spécifique en France et la statistique publique ne produit pas d’estimation de leur nombre. À partir de trois sources de données (Tronc commun des enquêtes auprès des ménages ; enquêtes Famille de 1999 et 2011 ; État-civil), nous estimons qu’environ 600 000 jeunes de moins de 25 ans sont orphelins d’un parent ou des deux en France en 2015, soit 3% de cette tranche d’âge. Les trois-quarts d’entre eux sont des orphelins de père dont la mère est vivante. L’orphelinage précoce paternel est plus différencié socialement que l’orphelinage précoce maternel. La proportion d’orphelins a diminué depuis 1999, ce qui est cohérent avec la baisse de la mortalité des adultes ; cependant, le retard des naissances a compensé en partie l’effet de cette baisse de la mortalité des adultes sur la proportion d’orphelins. Alors que dans l’imaginaire collectif, l’image de l’orphelin est celle d’un enfant privé de ses deux parents et vivant dans un orphelinat, cette thèse montre que la réalité de l’orphelinage au début du 21ème siècle est très éloignée de cette représentation issue du passé. La très grande majorité des mineurs orphelins ont un parent vivant et résident lui, le plus souvent dans une famille monoparentale, sinon dans une famille recomposée. Les familles des orphelins ont un risque un peu plus grand d’avoir un faible niveau de vie que les autres familles de même structure et cela s’explique principalement par leur position socioéconomique moins favorable. / The orphans (children, teenagers and young adults who have lost one or both parents by death) do not have any specific status in France and there is no estimation of their number in the national statistics. Using three data sources (The household introductory module ; 1999 et 2011 Family surveys ; Civil registration data), we estimate that around 600 000 youths aged under 25 are orphaned in France in 2015, which represents 3% of this age group. Three orphans out of four have lost their father but their mother is alive. The proportion of orphans has fallen since 1999 : this trend fits the trends in adult mortality, however the rise of parents’ age at birth has cancelled some part of the effect of the decline in adult mortality upon the proportion of orphans. The social differences in the risks of becoming an orphan before age 25 are bigger among fatherless children than among motherless children. While in the collective imagination, an orphan is a child deprived of both parents and living in an orphanage, this thesis shows that in the early 21st century the situation of the orphaned children (aged under 18) is far from this image from the past centuries. Most of the orphaned children have a surviving parent and live with him, in a one-parent family or in a stepfamily. The families with orphaned children have a slightly higher risk of having a low standard of living compared with the families without orphaned children, and this can be explained by the fact that those families have a lower socioeconomic status.

Evidence suggests that caring for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS remains one of the greatest challenges facing South Africa. Statistics indicate that there are 1.91 million AIDS orphans in the country (UNICEF, 2012; Statistics South Africa, 2009:8)). The majority of these orphans live in rural and poor urban households. Caring for orphans and vulnerable children places severe strain on support systems, such as the extended family; this spills over into the community. Providing care and support also places an extra burden on the already overstretched welfare sector and drains state resources. The primarily objective of this study was to explore community resilience strategies on challenges faced by orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng. A purposive sample of 32 participants was selected and field data were collected over a period of two months using a structured research guide. A combination of data collection methods was employed in order to explore different perspectives of community resilience strategies on challenges faced by orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS in Benoni. Emerging data illustrate a clear account on the impact of the AIDS epidemic in Benoni. All of the respondents were directly or indirectly affected by the epidemic. This should be located within the high prevalence of HIV and AIDS and the high number of orphans in Ekurhuleni. The study findings further suggest a correlation between socioeconomic challenges and the AIDS epidemic in Ekurhuleni. This is demonstrated through the challenges experienced by orphans and vulnerable children in Benoni, which include: non-disclosure by parents of their illness; economic deprivation and disrupted schooling; children caring for an ill parent with AIDS and child-headed households; emotional, sexual and economic exploitation, stigmatisation and discrimination. Despite these challenges, through community resilience the Benoni community has taken some initiatives to mitigate against these challenges. This includes the establishment of a community based organisation which provides basic services to orphans and vulnerable children in Benoni. To date this organisation has successfully provided material and psychosocial to more than 278 orphans. The success of this initiative confirms the importance of community driven interventions using the resilience framework to supports orphans and vulnerable, rather than dependency on the government imposed programmes- top down approach. However, community based programmes need to be strengthened by the government and non-governmental organisations in order to maximise benefits. / Psychology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies)

The Christian community and local government in Pietermaritzburg is confronted with a crisis of orphan and vulnerable children (OVC). Orphan numbers are expected to peak between 2006 and 2010. No amount of external policies and legislations can adequately deal with both the outward needs and the internal trauma that orphan and vulnerable children experience. However, this study argues that the Christian community is well placed to meet the holistic needs of OVC. By engaging David Korten's Four Generational Framework, the Christian community is challenged to move beyond meeting the visible short term needs of OVC and to become more involved in policy and decision making bodies. Further, through the endeavors of voluntary organizations represented by Fourth Generation development strategies, People's Movements could be mobilized to enhance the strategies of government and other organizations involved in the OVC crisis. Human nature includes issues of human dignity, existential worth, civil responsibility, social equity, political liberty and individual destiny. Understanding one's origin, as expressed in the Bible in terms of humans being created in the image of God (Imago Dei), guides the Christian community first in developing an understanding of themselves and second, on how to function in practical ways toward those that are hurting and are in sorrow. In this study reference is made to OVC who find themselves in this situation because of circumstances that are beyond their control. The crisis of parentlessness leaves children unprotected and vulnerable and thereby sets the stage for hopelessness and despair. God's Imago Dei is the genetical establishment of the individual's person and anthropological construction. The nature and mission of the Christian community is central to its understanding of and response to human need. The Christian community as custodian of the revelations of God reflects the image of Christ as the image of God. This places compliancy demands on the Christian community to represent God's image and transact God's affairs on the earth. Theological reflections on God's mission to the Christian community are explored with the aim of inspiring the Christian community and local government to work together in combating the OVC crisis. Studies seem to indicate that local government is prepared to partner with the Christian community in its attempts to deal with the crisis of OVC in an effective and sustainable manner. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Evidence suggests that caring for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS remains one of the greatest challenges facing South Africa. Statistics indicate that there are 1.91 million AIDS orphans in the country (UNICEF, 2012; Statistics South Africa, 2009:8)). The majority of these orphans live in rural and poor urban households. Caring for orphans and vulnerable children places severe strain on support systems, such as the extended family; this spills over into the community. Providing care and support also places an extra burden on the already overstretched welfare sector and drains state resources. The primarily objective of this study was to explore community resilience strategies on challenges faced by orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng. A purposive sample of 32 participants was selected and field data were collected over a period of two months using a structured research guide. A combination of data collection methods was employed in order to explore different perspectives of community resilience strategies on challenges faced by orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS in Benoni. Emerging data illustrate a clear account on the impact of the AIDS epidemic in Benoni. All of the respondents were directly or indirectly affected by the epidemic. This should be located within the high prevalence of HIV and AIDS and the high number of orphans in Ekurhuleni. The study findings further suggest a correlation between socioeconomic challenges and the AIDS epidemic in Ekurhuleni. This is demonstrated through the challenges experienced by orphans and vulnerable children in Benoni, which include: non-disclosure by parents of their illness; economic deprivation and disrupted schooling; children caring for an ill parent with AIDS and child-headed households; emotional, sexual and economic exploitation, stigmatisation and discrimination. Despite these challenges, through community resilience the Benoni community has taken some initiatives to mitigate against these challenges. This includes the establishment of a community based organisation which provides basic services to orphans and vulnerable children in Benoni. To date this organisation has successfully provided material and psychosocial to more than 278 orphans. The success of this initiative confirms the importance of community driven interventions using the resilience framework to supports orphans and vulnerable, rather than dependency on the government imposed programmes- top down approach. However, community based programmes need to be strengthened by the government and non-governmental organisations in order to maximise benefits. / Psychology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies)

In the light of the child's self-esteem that is affected by traumatic events, the goal of the research was to explore and describe the self-esteem of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The researcher made use of a quantitative research method. 30 (N=30) respondents, both male (n=16) and female (n=14), between the ages of 11 to 15, were randomly sampled for inclusion in the study. Each participant completed a self-report measure of self-esteem, The Culture-free Self-esteem Inventory for Children, which yielded a score of Global Self-esteem, as well as in four sub-domains including: General, Social, Academic and Parent-related Self-esteem. The results of this study demonstrated that the participants experienced a lowered self-esteem. These findings were explored in light of a literature review, after which conclusions and recommendations were provided. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

In the light of the child's self-esteem that is affected by traumatic events, the goal of the research was to explore and describe the self-esteem of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The researcher made use of a quantitative research method. 30 (N=30) respondents, both male (n=16) and female (n=14), between the ages of 11 to 15, were randomly sampled for inclusion in the study. Each participant completed a self-report measure of self-esteem, The Culture-free Self-esteem Inventory for Children, which yielded a score of Global Self-esteem, as well as in four sub-domains including: General, Social, Academic and Parent-related Self-esteem. The results of this study demonstrated that the participants experienced a lowered self-esteem. These findings were explored in light of a literature review, after which conclusions and recommendations were provided. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Statistics on HIV/AIDS are alarming. Very little is known about how communities are actually coping with this disease and what methods seem to be working to empower them to deal with it. Psychosocial distress is one of the dimensions of the impact of AIDS on children and families, and stresses the necessity to enhance the capacities of extended families and friends to be able to deal with these psychosocial issues. Using qualitative research and a case study as the strategy of inquiry, this dissertation of limited scope explores and describes the factors influencing the capacity of extended families in providing psychosocial support to AIDS orphans. A literature study was done to give a theoretical overview on the following aspects: * AIDS orphans * The extended family and HIV/AIDS To reach the first objective of this study, an empirical study was done and semi-structured interviews were used to obtain information from four extended families in the Mukwe area of the Kavango Region in Namibia. The literature study and the empirical study enabled the researcher to draw conclusions on the factors which influence the capacity of extended families to provide psychosocial support to AIDS orphans. The information was analysed, interpreted and published in this research report so as to reach the other objectives of this study. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play therapy)