Call for Govt to remain vigilant in protecting children’s rights

Lackson Munkombwe Sunday News Reporter
@sirlackson
RAMPANT and forced marriages of minors among other issues, remain high in the country, a plight which many African countries are still fighting to eradicate as they commemorate the International Day of the African Child. The International Day of the African Child is celebrated in honour of schoolchildren who were massacred by the apartheid South African regime on 16 June 1976 when they took to the streets to protest against inferior quality of education and demanded their collective right to be taught in their own language instead of Afrikaans.

Data from the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) 2015 indicates that 27,2 percent of adolescent girls in rural areas have already started bearing children, a majority of whom are school dropouts.

Statistics revealed by Trinity Project, a child rights organisation also shows that more than 4 000 children in Bulawayo are struggling to access birth certificates. Trinity Project director Mr Khumbulani Mpofu said the numbers could be more in other districts especially in rural areas.

“We have a record of over 4 000 young people who have not been able to get birth certificates due to various reasons. The list does not end there but there are a lot of young people in rural areas who have this problem. As an organisation, we need to safeguard the future of young people by assisting them to get the required documents,” said Mr Mpofu.

Binga District Administrator Mrs Lydia Banda said the area has recorded an increase in the number of rape cases involving minors, while cases of school dropouts were also prevalent. Mrs Banda said by commemorating the Day of the African Child, it was crucial to address pertinent issues that children are facing in the country and also appealed to the Government to effectively look into the situation.

“We strongly condemn the practice of child marriages and abuse of young people in different ways and call for an effective implementation of the laws protecting children in order for them to enjoy their rights,” Mrs Banda said.

She said educational awareness programmes have been conducted around the district against child abuse.

“We need to achieve zero child abuse cases through ensuring that perpetrators in any sorts of criminal activities are punished severely so that even those who are doing it in their houses can learn of the dangers associated with infringements of children’s rights,” said Mrs Banda.