Most African governments invest a third of what they promised on child health

A survey that ranks African governments’ performance in budgeting for their children shows not only sharp contrasts in terms of the region’s investment in children, but also the wide gap that exists between what governments have promised and what they are prioritising and delivering in their budgets.

The report, released on 25 May in Dakar by the African Child Policy Forum, ranks 52 governments’ performance on the basis of their spending in the key sectors that affect children’s welfare: health, education, social protection, and early childhood development.

Despite improvements in spending on health, the report indicates that Africa still has a relatively low …