DSI- NRF Centre of E xcellence i n Human D e v elopme n t
Individual and Society
CoE-HUMAN • NEWSLETTER
June 16 is a significant date in South African history that brought major sociopolitical change and is now celebrated annually as Youth Day. It is a day triggered by transformative events that can be traced back to the oppressive policies of the Apartheid regime, which introduced the Bantu Education Act in 1953.
June 16 commemorates 50 years since the Soweto uprising in South Africa -a student-led protest that began in Soweto and spread countrywide in 1976 against the intent of the government to force Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in Black schools in Soweto, South Africa. The protest, however, took an adverse turn when the students encountered heavily armed police officers who fired teargas and live ammunition at them, resulting in fatalities.
South Africans commemorate these students’ lives and acknowledge the contribution of young people in the liberation from the apartheid regime.
While the struggles of youth during Apartheid were shaped by systemic oppression, youth in contemporary day South Africa face distinct challenges pertaining to health, unemployment, economic inequality and education, among other challenges. The CoE-HUMAN grantees, Dr. Rachana Desai and Dr. Ashleigh Craig, showcase the following research related to some of these youth challenges and focus specifically on mental and preconception health:
Equality and Healthcare in the democratic South Africa
Dr. Rachana Desai
Adolescent social media use and mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol of current research.
Adolescence is usually referred to as the stage of life in which a child develops into an adult. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an adolescent as any person aged 10 to 19.
Adolescent populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are projected to exceed 500 million, accounting for a significant 23% of the global adolescent population by 2050, as they mature in the face of large-scale technological developments. The use of technology, such as social media platforms, may promote social interaction and a sense of belonging. However, it also contains disadvantages such as addiction and cyberbullying, which can have a negative influence on selfesteem and mental health.
Dr. Desai et.al (2025) conducted a scoping review to map and describe the available evidence on Social Media Use (SMU) and mental health among adolescents (aged 13–19 years) in SSA. The goal was to (a) summarise and describe the characteristics of the existing literature, (b) describe the nature of the relationship (e.g., association, mediation,
causation, and others) between SMU and mental health, and (c) summarise how the literature addresses different subpopulations such as gender, urban-rural settings, and socioeconomic status.
The Joanna Briggs Institute’s scoping review methodology, which consists of the following five steps, was used in this review: (1) formulating the research question; (2) developing a search strategy; (3) establishing inclusion criteria; (4) data extraction; (5) analysis and presentation; and (6) consultations. The search strategy was used to cover both empirical and grey literature in databases such as PsycINFO, PubMed (Medline and OVID), Web of Science, LILACS, Scopus, Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations, and PsycINFO Extra. The eligibility of the articles was evaluated separately, and a standardized form was used for data extraction and charting. Visualization tools like a network diagram showing relationships and a heatmap showing the prevalence of research in SSA, were used.
Researchers and authors from SSA who have worked
on adolescents, SMU, and/ or adolescent mental health will be included in the list of pertinent experts that will be compiled from research organizations and institutes. Experts will be emailed a survey to fill out, asking them to provide input on the search strategy, preliminary findings, and their interpretations of the findings.
This review did not require ethics approval. A peerreviewed journal article, academic presentations, and publicly accessible internet news media in the form of commentary will be used for dissemination. https://doi.org/10.1136/ bmjopen-2024-097291
Dr. Ashleigh Craig
Preconception health knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions among adults: A multi-country study.
Preconception health, defined as an individual’s health behaviours and status prior to conception, is critical for obtaining successful pregnancy outcomes and supporting long-term health for both parents and children.
In order to collect information on preconception health knowledge, attitudes, behavioural intent, and respondents’ preferences regarding factors important prior to pregnancy and preferred sources of health information, Dr. Craig et al (2025) conducted a crosssectional online survey with adults (18–55 years old) from Kenya, South Africa, Malaysia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Based on the following demographics, which were the same for each country, the study sample (total n = 5000) was selected from the recruited country panel’s general population: (i) equal numbers of men and women; (ii) 65% of the sample was composed of people aged 18 to 30; (ii) 25% were from the age range of 31 to 45; and 10% were from the age group of 46 to 55. The survey was conducted in English in each of the five nations
to guarantee uniformity and consistency. This allowed for standardised replies and made it easier to compare and analyse data from these diverse areas.
The study findings showed that there are notable differences in preconception health awareness among the various economically developed countries, as indicated by the fact that Malaysia had the highest percentage of respondents with poorer knowledge (42.5%) and the USA had the highest proportion of respondents with good preconception knowledge (13.8%). This is comparable with previous research that found women of reproductive age from high-income countries (HICs), including the United States, had higher levels of knowledge.
One clear finding was that, on average, women knew more about preconception health than men do. Women continuously acknowledged the significance of embracing healthy behaviours, such as avoiding alcohol and tobacco, keeping one’s mental health in check, and eating nutritious food. This tendency held true across most preconception
attitudes and behavioural intention. Furthermore, women were more likely to have a strong desire to seek out preconception healthcare services if they were available.
The study also showed that different people had different preferences for preconception health information sources and varied degrees of knowledge about preconception care. The most popular sources were clinic doctors, followed by nurses, obstetricians/ gynaecologists, pharmacists, and friends and family. Magazines and newspapers were the least popular, while social media and the internet came in sixth. With the exception of the USA and Kenya, where women ranked clinic doctors second, these preferences were essentially the same across countries, with both men and women ranking them first.
Overall, the findings highlight the necessity of customized preconception health treatments that take into account regional cultural differences as well as socioeconomic considerations in order to improve health outcomes.
https://doi.org/10.1186/ s12978-025-02015-z
“June 16 is commemorated as Youth Day in South Africa, honoring the memory of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when thousands of Black students protested against apartheidera education policies. Police killed hundreds, and the day stands as a symbol of resistance and the fight for
“June 16 is a reminder of the significant role youth play in shaping society. As a sociology student, I learned about the systematic engineered inequality under apartheid and its effects today. The 1976 Soweto Uprising highlighted the courage of children to stand up against
Facts about Youth Day
a brutal system. This legacy is echoed in movements like #FeesMustFall, where young people and students stand up for their futures and justice. June 16 reminds me of the urge youth across generations have to fix the world. While South Africa is not perfect, I am grateful that children
equality and educational rights for all.”
- Walter Madzonga, PhD, University of Venda.
today do not have to die for their right to learn. Despite inequalities in education and uneven access, we can grow and hope that my generation carries forward this spirit with bravery, imagination, and relentless hope.”
- Ongezwa Tuswa, Masters, University of Pretoria.
1. On 16 June 1976, thousands of black students staged a protest rally from their schools to Orlando Stadium. They were protesting against an official order that made Afrikaans mandatory in black township schools. The police were called to disperse the crowd and hundreds of students were killed on the day.
2. Among those killed were Hastings Ndlovu, the first child killed, and 12-year-old Hector Pieterson. Tsietsi Mashinini led the students in protest.
3. In 1995, the South African government declared June 16 as a national public holiday in tribute to the youth’s efforts to the struggle against apartheid.
CoE-HUMAN
“…let me say this and say this with the utmost conviction: the nation owes you a clear policy and practical measures to ensure that the youth contributes to, and benefits from, our new democracy.”
– Nelson Mandela
Publications
1. Hart, C., Desai, R., Stuart, L., Norris, S. A., & Prioreschi, A. (2025). Examining breastfeeding self-efficacy as a mediator between maternal food insecurity and breastfeeding practices in Soweto, South Africa. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1–8.
https://doi.org/10.1080/16070658.2025.2492534
2. Craig, A., Mabetha, K., Stephenson, J., Schoenaker, D., & Norris, S. A. (2025). Preconception health knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions among adults: A multi-country study. Reproductive Health, 22(1), 66. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02015-z
3. Desai, R., Stuart, L., Mapanga, W., Hart, C., & Norris, S. A. (2025). Adolescent social media use and mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol of current research. BMJ Open, 15(4), e097291. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-097291