The use of the 'OVC' term and its impact on the care and support of children in need in South Africa

Abstract

The term 'orphans and vulnerable children' ('OVC') represents a shift from a focus on 'AIDS orphans' to the inclusion of other vulnerable children affected by the pandemic. However, with no clear framework of inclusion or exclusion, the term remains open to interpretation. This study seeks to determine how the 'OVC' term is being used by policymakers and service providers despite the absence of a clear framework for OVC and how this impacts intervention for children in need in South Africa. OVC-related documents by the South African government, international development agencies and non-governmental organizations are analyzed, and compared to interviews conducted with front-line staff of a participating organization. Its results indicate that the term's interpretation focuses on children directly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, orphans and/or children living with an ill parent, at the exclusion of the larger number of children made vulnerable by their socio-economic situations. As such, this thesis recommends that the interpretation of OVC should shift from its focus on particular categories of children to a focus on children's needs.