The Equality Collective | Research and Learning

Research and Learning

The Equality Collective ensures that its work is based on strong evidence and sound research. We aim to thoroughly map the root causes of problems identified and craft workable solutions together with communities and technical experts.

Research partnership

In 2020 we started a research partnership with the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic. Clinical Professor Susan Farbstein and her JD team have been assisting us with research on the legal and regulatory framework for local government; international best practice for community water monitoring systems and a political and economic diagnostic of ADM. Their assistance has been instrumental to our work so far.

In 2022, we started a research partnership with Oxford Pro Bono Publico and organisation based at the Oxford Faculty of Law they are currently helping us with our work on the development of a holistic right to early learning.

ECD Health and Safety Norms and Standards

The Equality Collective embarked on an exciting research project this year in partnership with Ilifa Labantwana and supported by Bridge. Health and safety standards set the baseline conditions for registration with the Department of Social Development which in turn enables providers to access subsidy support from the government. Experience demonstrates that the current health and safety standards for ECD programmes are overly rigid, inappropriate and unattainable thereby providing a systemic legal barrier to registration. We are now busy conducting formative research on how to ensure appropriate health, safety and environmental norms and standards for early learning programmes. This research due to be completed by April 2022, will include a legal analysis of the current regulatory system, extensive stakeholder consultations and an evaluation of what the system could look like.

Equality Collective’s research and learning work

Tess N. Peacock (2023) Advancing early childhood development: The role of local government, South African Journal on Human Rights, DOI: 10.1080/02587203.2023.2221451
N Ally, R Parker, T Peacock "Litigation and Social Mobilisation for Early Childhood Development During Covid-19 and Beyond" South African Journal of Childhood Education 2022. This article explores the Covid-19 litigation and provides commentary on how such cases could have been used to develop a holistic right to ECD. It notes that future cases should be informed by this objective as well the need for general mobilisation strategies. Access the article here: https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/1054/2093

Research and Learning The Equality Collective ensures that its work is based on strong evidence and sound research. We aim to thoroughly map the root causes of problems identified and craft workable solutions together with communities and technical experts.

Research partnership

ECD Health and Safety Norms and Standards

Research and Learning

The Equality Collective ensures that its work is based on strong evidence and sound research. We aim to thoroughly map the root causes of problems identified and craft workable solutions together with communities and technical experts.