Thread by @sindivanzyl

.@GrowGreatZA has written a very insightful op-ed on expanding the child support grant to include pregnant women.

Read the article here for yourself bit.ly/2IALQS7 and tell me what you think.

I’ll share why I think it’s a great idea #Thread #PregnancyGrant

Pregnancy simultaneously reduces a woman’s income-generating potential and brings with it several financial responsibilities. This is more so in SA where only a quarter of the 1.2 million pregnant women annually have any source of income. #PregnancyGrant

This lack of access to income is devastating for the unborn children as it limits the mother’s ability to feed and care for herself well, which affects the child’s development. #PregnancyGrant

Studies report that about ¼ of pregnant women in SA go hungry during pregnancy. This puts the unborn baby at risk of being nutritionally stunted. Stunting is a condition that arises from prolonged undernutrition & kids are most vulnerable to it during pregnancy #PregnancyGrant

Research has shown amazing returns on investment in countries where women received income support during pregnancy. Just like the Child Support Grant, studies show that contrary to the myths that go around, most of the money is used to buy nutritious food #PregnancyGrant

Mexico recorded a drop in maternal and infant mortality after introducing a #PregnancyGrant as well. The money that would come from the grant would enable mothers to go for all their antenatal care visits (which are vital for reducing stunting)

A #PregnancyGrant will reduce food insecurity in SA and bring down maternal depression (which affects a third of SA’s pregnant women).

Maternal depression also affects infant growth, brain development, and mother-baby bonding.

Extending the child support grant to include pregnant women is a worthy investment. Government should pay the initial cost of this investment rather than pay the price of stunting in the form of poor health in its children. #PregnancyGrant

The question is not ‘can we afford it?'

It is ‘can we afford not to implement it?' #PregnancyGrant

Here @LouiseNocadi