How violence and adversity undermine human development

Data analysis shows how violence in childhood is connected to health and social problems almost three decades later.

This policy brief uses the adverse childhood experiences framework, coupled with data from the Birth to Thirty cohort study, to show the impact of violence and adversity on the lives of South Africans. It connects violence and adversity in childhood to health and social problems almost three decades later. Understanding, foregrounding and addressing the effects of violence and adversity are essential for national development.

About the author

Sara Naicker is a Researcher at the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Her research covers child and adolescent health and development with a specific focus on early childhood development and the impact of adverse childhood events on health and wellbeing in later life.

Image: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp