Vusumuzi DubeRobin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
HARMFUL practices perpetrated on children must come to an end with African Governments, Civil Society, media, and other partners encouraged to take a leading role in educating and also adopting policies and practices to protect and assist children who are at risk.
As the continent commemorates the Day of the African Child today, Youth Invest, a local organisation under the directorship of Ms Nomqhele Siziba said this year’s theme resonates with the current situation where Zimbabwe is dealing with the scourge of child marriages.
“This year’s theme, ‘Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013’ is important as it brings to spotlight harmful practices affecting children in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole through highlighting the challenges children face on a day-to-day basis due to these harmful practices,” said Ms Siziba.
She added; “The theme also presents an opportunity for African Governments, Civil Society Organizations, media and other partners to pause and reflect on steps that have been taken towards the adoption of policies and practices to protect and assist children who are at risk and victims of harmful practices in Africa. The theme is particularly relevant in Zimbabwe where child marriages persist with almost one in three Zimbabwean girls marrying before the legal age of marriage,” she said.
Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency states that 71 percent of children under 16 years are working in agriculture, forestry and fishing and 5.4 percent are in the mining and quarrying sectors.
“These harmful practices have an impact on the rights and welfare of children. Despite these persisting challenges, Zimbabwe has demonstrated political will to safeguard the rights of children through protections set out in the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Domestic Violence Act, and the new Marriages Act which all prohibit child marriages. The Constitution of Zimbabwe further protects children from exploitative labour practices,” she said.
Furthermore, she said through amending the Education Act, in March 2020, Zimbabwe now prohibits corporal punishment and the exclusion of pregnant girls from school. She said Zimbabwe has made notable progress in adopting laws and policies that prohibit harmful practices affecting children, in line with international standards, particularly the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women.
Other development partners are implementing different programs to tackle harmful practices, such as the Vulnerable Underaged People’s Auditorium initiative which uses taekwondo to fight against child marriages.
It is however noted that despite the progress made, harmful practices still exist in Zimbabwe, thereby impacting the realization of children’s rights.
“Therefore, in line with Aspiration 7 of Africa’s Agenda 2040 Youth Invest implores the Government of Zimbabwe to Embark on awareness-raising for the abolition of harmful practices and initiate collective decisions involving communities concerned; strengthen collaboration with traditional and religious leaders and build upon their influential voice to enhance awareness among communities about the impact of harmful practices on children,” she added.
Ms Siziba said they also hope that the government continues to address the root causes of harmful practices affecting children; put in place quality programmes and services to prevent and respond to violence against children; and also, to enhance collective advocacy efforts to promote non-violent values and awareness-raising to transform attitudes condoning violence against children. @NyembeziMu
Online Reporter