Save the Children South Africa

Save the Children was founded in 1919 by Eglantyne Jebb — a British activist who believed that children's rights deserved international legal recognition and institutional protection. Her declaration of the rights of the child laid the groundwork for what eventually became the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Today Save the Children is present in over 100 countries and is the world's largest independent organisation working for children. The South African chapter, registered as a local NPO (104-961-NPO) and PBO (930 040 924), is headquartered in Pretoria and operates five provincial offices — in Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng — focusing on the most marginalised and rural districts in the country.

Save the Children South Africa's programmes are grounded in a rights-based framework — the belief that every child has the right to survive, learn, and be protected from harm, regardless of where they were born, what they look like, or the circumstances of their family. This is not aspirational language: it is operationalised through specific, measurable programmes with clearly stated goals and reach.

Programme Areas

Child Protection — Violence Prevention in 13 Districts SCSA's Child Protection goal is to strengthen the capacity of duty bearers — families, communities, local government, schools, and service providers — through scaling up violence-prevention programmes across 13 districts. This includes: - Caregiver and community capacity-building to recognise and respond to child abuse and neglect - Strengthening referral pathways so that children who have experienced abuse are connected to the right services - Working with schools and local government to build protective environments - Advocacy for legislative and policy alignment with the Children's Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Education — ECCD Quality and Caregiver Capacity The Education programme aims to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Development quality across six provinces — building the capacity of 1,000 ECD practitioners and 100,000 caregivers, and partnering with networks, civil society organisations, and government departments. Safe, high-quality early childhood environments reduce vulnerability to abuse and build the social-emotional foundations that protect children throughout their lives.

Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights (ARSHR) SCSA's ARSHR programme delivers gender-sensitive Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) to 80,000 children, adolescents, and young people across 10 districts, in partnership with local CSOs and government. The programme contributes to reducing teenage pregnancy and HIV — two conditions closely linked to gender-based vulnerability and exploitation. Gender-sensitive CSE is also an essential tool for building consent awareness and challenging harmful norms that produce GBV.

Migration and Displacement SCSA works with children and families affected by migration and displacement — a population with significantly elevated risk of abuse, trafficking, and exploitation, and with significant barriers to accessing services.

Children's Rights and Governance SCSA engages with the children's rights governance ecosystem in South Africa — advocating for the full implementation of rights guaranteed in the Constitution, the Children's Act, and international human rights instruments. This includes supporting businesses to understand their obligations under Children's Rights and Business Principles.

Relevance to GBV Survivors and Child Protection Referrals

For organisations, social workers, and DSD-registered child protection services across South Africa, Save the Children South Africa is a significant technical, advocacy, and standards partner. Their published materials, training resources, and policy positions are widely used across the sector. For individual survivors, SCSA is not a direct crisis service — it does not operate shelters or walk-in counselling. However, organisations in their programme areas — particularly in Free State, KZN, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo — benefit from SCSA's capacity-building and may be able to provide referrals to SCSA-supported services.

Save the Children South Africa: Hillcrest Office Park, Ground Floor, Lourie Place, Pretoria. NPO 104-961. PBO 930 040 924. Website: savethechildren.org.za. LinkedIn: Save the Children South Africa.