Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
The Government and various stakeholders are holding a three-day child protection conference in Bulawayo aimed at advancing the rights, care and protection of every child in the country.
The conference, being hosted by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, has been convened to achieve five important objectives, which are to review progress and lessons learned in strengthening child protection systems and services; and to analyse emerging child protection risks and their implications for policy and programming.
Other objectives are to strengthen integrated and multisectoral responses across social welfare, justice, education, health, labour, civil registration and other key sectors; to mobilise sustainable political commitment and financing for child protection and; to generate practical recommendations that will guide implementation of the National Action Plan for Children (2026–2030).
In his speech, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Pfungwa Kunaka, who was represented by the Acting Director for Social Development and Disability Affairs, Mr Tawanda Zimunga, said the inaugural Child Protection Conference, held in 2017, marked a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s child protection journey through the launch of the National Case Management System.
“Since then, Government, working together with development partners, civil society organisations, communities and children themselves, has made notable progress in strengthening child protection systems over the past decade through legislative reforms, expansion of the National Case Management System, strengthening of the Victim Friendly System, and investments in prevention and response services,” he said.
“These efforts have yielded measurable outcomes across priority areas including violence against children, birth registration and legal identity, child labour, children on the move, access to justice, and social service workforce strengthening.
“However, children continue to face complex and evolving risks, including persistent violence, child marriage, child labour, technology-facilitated abuse, migration-related vulnerabilities, and the impacts of socio-economic shocks and climate change.
“At the same time, the sector faces structural challenges related to financing, workforce capacity, coordination, and data management systems.”
He said these evolving challenges demand innovative thinking, stronger partnerships and renewed commitment from every sector of society.
