Research and Policy Brief: Submission by the South African Institute of Race Relations on the draft white paper on families released by the Department of Social Development (DSD) in July 2012.

Overall the white paper makes an important first step in acknowledging the problem of family breakdown in South Africa, its causes and some of its effects. However, the white paper lacks concrete proposals that can be implemented by various government departments to address the problems identified. Moreover, it fails to acknowledge the role individual responsibility, norms, and attitudes can play in building more stable families, albeit with assistance and incentives from the Government.