Millennium Development Goals: Country Report 2010

(MDGR 2010)

PresentationTo

Social Development and Transformation Cluster

29 June 2011

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Outline

1. Background2. Introduction and Challenges3. MDG Results for the Social Sector (1, 2, 3,

4, 5, 6 and 7)4. Conclusion

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Background

Millennium Declaration

• In September 2000, the world’s leaders signed the Millennium Declaration at the Millennium Summit

• The Millennium Declaration promotes basic human rights such as the right to education, health, water, security, and shelter

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Background • The MDG process has its roots in the United nations Millennium Summit

held in 2000, where world leaders agreed on working to achieve eight critical economic and social development priorities by 2015.

• The compilation of the MDG country Report 2009/2010 was led by Statistics South Africa

• Consultations with government Departments and civil society started in November 2009.

• Statistics South Africa created Sector Working Groups (SWG), each focusing on one goal or more depending on the mandate of specific government Departments.

• Sector Working Groups met regularly to assess data collected from and submitted by various institutions .

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Background cont...• Social Sector Departments participated in and led a number of Sector Working

Groups according to their mandate. • Further consultations, led jointly by StatsSA, the Department of Social

Development and civil society continued throughout the country in September 2010 and the outcome of the process was South Africa’s MDG country report which was presented to the UN General Assembly in September 2010

• The country report is a combination of both UN (50) and domesticated (45) targets and indicators

• This presentation focus on goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 for which the social sector cluster is directly responsible.

• Although the presentation contained herein is derived from the MDG Country Report and the presentation made to Cabinet and civil society formations , additional source documents have been used for information contained in Goals 1 and 2

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1994 1997 20152000 2003 2005 2007 2009 2012

• Characteristics of MDGs:

• Time-bound goals

• Quantifiable targets

• Internationally agreed upon indicators

• Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), act as guidelines and indicators for Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), act as guidelines and indicators for measuring levels of developmentmeasuring levels of development

• Reference period for Reference period for MDGs 1990 - 2015MDGs 1990 - 2015• For South Africa, start of For South Africa, start of reference period is 1994reference period is 1994

Background cont…

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Goal 1: Eradicate extreme

poverty and hunger

Background cont…

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary

education

Goal 3: Promote gender equity and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS,

malaria and other diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a global

partnership for development

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Introduction and Challenges• Although the Social Sector Departments cover a wide spectrum of issues, some of their work cannot be measured by the indicators -both domestic and international- developed for the MDGs:• This includes critical work done by for example, the Department of Social Development on Early Childhood Development .•As such, the report may at times not present a comprehensive coverage of the social sector’s contribution to the achievement of MDGs•All information submitted to StatsSA for the compilation of the report had to be subjected to stringent quality assurance processes, and as a result, some of the information submitted by various sources was not included in the report.• As noted in the country report, the lack of data led to non-reporting on:

10 MDG indicators1 Domesticated indicator

•With respect to the country report, a number of challenges conspired to prevent South Africa from meeting some of the goals, and these include among others, the following:

•High levels of income disparity•Structural unemployment•The impact of HIV and AIDS•The recent global economic recession

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty

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Proportion of population living below the poverty line has declinedGini coefficient (measure of inequality) remains high

Employment to population ratio remained static

Access to free basic services by indigents on the increase

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

• The Social assistance programme, led by the Department of Social Development has made a significant contribution to the attainment of Goal 1

• Studies on South Africa’s social assistance programme suggest that social grants reinforce developmental impacts within households in terms of nutrition, education, health, vital services and employment:

• Absolute Poverty: The proportion of people living in absolute poverty-as measured by the threshold of $1 to $2.50- a day has declined

• South Africa has effectively more than halved the population living below the poverty line of $1 a day from 11.3% in 2000 to 5% in 2006.

• This suggests that South Africa has met MDG Goal 1.• The poverty gap ration declined from 3.3 in 2000 to 1.1 in 2006 at the

$1 Per person per day threshold

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Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

• Studies carried out by among others Statistics South Africa, including the Presidency’s Fifteen Year Review, suggest that the Social Assistance Programme is the single most important driver of the decline in poverty has had a significant impact on reducing poverty, redistributing income and reducing inequality.

• From a modest 2, 5 million recipients in 1994 to over 14 million in 2010, the rapid expansion or the social assistance programme accounts for the growth in expenditure levels of the poor.

• The most notable expansion has been that of the child support grant, which rose from 34 000 beneficiaries in 1999 to over 10.3 million by March 2011

• Recent research suggests that the CSG contributes to improving the nutrition levels of children between the ages of 0-2 years

• Social grants, along with wages earned through employment, contributed to growth in per capita income between 1995 and 2005.

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Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger• Income distribution: although levels of inequality remain high in South Africa, social

grants have made a significant contribution to the reducing the levels of the Gini estimate for the country.

• Food Poverty line: the percentage of the population living below the food poverty line of R148 in 2000 and R209 equivalent in 2006 declined from 28.5 to 24.8 respectively

• The proportion of males living below the food poverty line declined from 26.7% to 22.9% while the number of females living below the line declined from 30.2 % to 26.4% between 2000 and 2006.

• Similarly, the distribution of food parcels to needy households through the social relief of distress plays an important role in relieving incidents of poverty.

• The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has played a significant role as a short to medium term measure to creating employment, building skills and eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.

• The social sector made a significant contribution to reaching the EPWP target of 1 million job opportunities by 2009.

• These initiatives are also providing strong platform for further sustainable long-term solutions to poverty related issues.

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Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Free Basic services for the indigent:

More poor households are benefitting from the provision of free basic services from municipalitiesAccording to 2008 estimates, 8,1 million consumer units were receiving electricity from municipalities and other service providers in South Africa, and 2,8 million (34,8 percent) of these were receiving free basic electricity. The number of consumer units receiving basic electricity rose by 6 percent between 2007 and 2008 (460 000 more consumer units had access to basic electricity)-1200 436 of the units were in Limpopo, 99 487 were in Gauteng, while 77 363 in Northern Cape , Free state had 13, 272 unitsThe total number of consumer units that received free basic water services increased by 16,3 percent ( from 9,9 million to 11, 5 million) during the 2007/2008 financial yearAccording to 2008 estimates 60 percent (7, 0 million) of 11, 5 million households received water for free.

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Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty

Poverty line Percent below poverty line

Poverty Gap

2000 2006 2000 2006

Food Poverty line R148 28.5

R20924.8

10.4 7.9

$1.00 (ppp) 11.3 5.0 3.2 1.1

$1.25 (ppp) 17.0 9.7 5.4 2.3

$2.00 (ppp) 33.5 25.3 13.0 8.1

$2.50 (ppp) 42.2

34.8 18.0 12.5

Percent living below poverty lines and poverty gap: 2000 and 2006

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Education

Adjusted Net Enrolment for females has increased from 97.0% in 2002 to 98.8% in 2009

Functional Literacy rate of 15 to 24 year olds increased from 88% in 2002 to 91% in 2009

Completion rate of primary education by those aged 18 has risen from 89.6% in 2002 to 93.8% in 2009

It appears that South African government initiatives of no fees, free transport and feeding schemes in selected schools have benefited poor learners

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Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

• Early Childhood Development (ECD): Although indicators for Goal 2 do not include children in the 0-4 age cohort, ECD is widely believed to provide a firm foundation for life-long learning, which is a key element of a dynamic, literate, and knowledge based society.

• By March 2011, there were 19 000 registered ECD centres with 790 000 children benefitting from ECD services. Some 720 000 of these children are directly subsidised by the State.

• Impact of the CSG: according to Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey report 2003-2007 released in July 2009, the most notable impact of the expansion of the CSG is that children benefitting from the grant are likely to go to school.

• In 2007, the percentage of low income households which receive any kind of grant and were sending their children aged 5-19 years to school increased from 73% in 2003 to 81% in 2007 (linked to Goal 3)

• Similarly, the attendance ratio for individuals aged 5-19 is higher in households who receive grants than those who did not receive them.

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Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

• Under the Social Relief of Distress the Department has a special dispensation permitting children from poor families to purchase school uniforms

• Other initiatives such as the National School nutrition programme and the provision of school transport add substance to the realisation of children’s rights

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Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Enrolment ratios (adjusted) for 7-13 age group by sex: 2002 – 2009

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Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

South Africa has made significant progress in meeting the goal of promoting gender equality and will most likely meet all the key targets for this goal.There are more girls than boys in both secondary and tertiary institutionsWomen share on non-agricultural wage employment remains below halfProportion of seats held by women in the national assembly increased from 25% in 1994 to 44 % in 2009.

• Women constitute 67 percent of recipients of the Old Age and Disability Grants, which is 2.4 million women

• The Old Age Grant also serves as surety with which people are able to leverage further financial and social resources.

• Women, as care givers, make up 98 % of the recipients of the Child Support Grant

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Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

YearFemale gross

enrolment ration (GER)

Male GER Gender Parity Index (GPI)

1996 0,09 0,11 0,86

2001 0,11 0,10 1,10

2003 0,12 0,11 1,13

2008 0,13 0,11 1,26

Gross enrolment ratios & gender parity index at tertiary level, selected years

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

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Infant mortality rate remained stable at 53 (2007) deaths per 1000 live births

Under-five mortality rate has risen from 59 (1998) to 104 (2007)per 1000 live births

Proportion of 1-year old children immunised against measles has risen from 68.5 (2001) to 98.3 (2009)

Life expectancy at birth has dropped

Goal 4: Reduce Child MortalityUnder-Five Mortality Rate, South Africa 1998,

and the 2015 MDG

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Goal 5: Improve Maternal Mortality

Maternal Mortality rate is high and is increasing

Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel increased from 76.6% (684 766) in 2001 to 94.3% (935 473) in 2009

Use of modern contraceptive methods by sexually active women has increased from 61.2% (1998) to 64% (2003)

Antenatal care coverage has increased from 76.6 (2001) to above 100%

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Goal 5: Improve Maternal MortalityMaternal Mortality Rate in South Africa since 1998,

and 2015 MDG

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Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

The spread of HIV prevalence in South Africa may have stabilised

Marked increase in all provinces from 2005 (13.9%) to 2009 (41.6%) in the proportion of people with HIV who had access to ARTIn 2006 17% of men had been tested and in 2009 the figure had risen to 31.8%. Amongst women the figure rose from 38% in 2006 to 71.2% in 2009Death rates associated with TB have risen from 168 per 100 000 population (in 2004) to 181 (in 2007) per 100 000 population

• Evidence suggests that the spread of HIV prevalence in South Africa may have stabilised and has declined among the 15-24 age cohort since 2005.If this trend continues, the target with respect to the reduction of HIV infections in 15-24 year age cohort is likely to be met by 2015.

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Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

9.3

10.3

8.7

8

8

9

9

10

10

11

2002 2005 2008

HIV

pre

vale

nce

(%)

HIV Prevalence Among Population Aged 15-24 Years, South Africa, 2002, 2005 and 2008

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Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Number of species threatened with extinction has increased from 676 (1990) to 2458 (2010)

Carbon dioxide emissions have increased from 358 930 Gigagrams in 1994 to 433 527 Gigagrams in 2007

Proportion of population living in slums have remained static

The target for the proportion of population using water from an improved drinking source has been achieved

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Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

YEAR

Water Supply from a safe

source (%)

Sanitation at RDP std or higher

(%)

Living in informal dwelling

(%)

Solid fuels for

cooking (%)

Solid fuels for

heating (%)

Connection to the mains electricity (%)

2009 92,4 72,2 13,4 15,7 19,8 82,6

2008 92,0 69,7 14,1 16,4 21,8 81,7

2007 92,7 70,1 15,0 14,4 19,0 81,8

2006 92,2 68,2 14,7 19,7 19,4 80,7

2005 91,7 66,7 15,7 15,8 19,6 80,8

2004 90,8 66,0 11,9 18,6 23,3 80,6

2003 89,8 64,0 12,8 19,5 23,6 78,4

2002 88,7 61,9 13,0 20,0 24,4 76,8

Access to Services by Households

MDG Reporting: Problems

• MDG process has highlighted the following deficiencies in our distributed statistical system

– Administrative records systems for producing statistics are still weak

To Illustrate:

– Death Registration (coverage and completeness)

– Environmental indicators dependent on international agencies’ data

– MMR: Maternal Mortality registration systems plagued by

• Plethora of competing sources

• Sources use competing definitions

• Producing contradictory estimates

– Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) and Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)

• EMIS data still has quality concerns

• Age specific population estimates still called into question

• Assign blame where the numerator & denominator come from differing sources

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MDG Reporting: Opportunities• MDGR 2010 affords South Africa an opportunity:

– To institutionalise MDG reporting as part of the country’s National Statistics System, and

– Place MDGs firmly on the country’s development agenda.

– Adage: ”What gets measured, gets done” (….gets done right)

• Are we measuring what matters?

• Many things are not being done!

– Since MDGR 2010 is data intensive, use the process to strengthen (re-engineer) the information systems that underpin the statistical information

• This can be done by institutionalising the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) and Sector Working Groups (SWG’s).

• What is required?:

– Commitment to measuring and reporting on the MDGs

– Commitment to build the requisite information infrastructure that allows for reporting on MDGs

– Build sufficient critical mass (human resources) to achieve the objectives of the Millennium Declaration

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What is Required?

Address 3 issues; namely,

1. incorporation of MDGs in policy programmes,

2. data gaps, and

3. data discrepancies.

How do we address data gaps and discrepancies?

• Audit departmental information systems for relevance

– What is collected?

– For what purpose?

– How does it contribute towards informed decision-making?

• Implement systems (in the responsible line ministries) to ensure that they produce to a defined set of

information requirements (i.e. CPI – monetary policy, GDP – economic growth, GHS – among others,

access to services)

• Rationalise competing production systems that add to the confusion

– Reallocate resources

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Thank You

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