Civil society organisations have urged government to 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.
The remarks were made by Youth Invest earlier today in commemoration of the Day of the African Child 2022 running under the theme, “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013.”
Though Zimbabwe has demonstrated political will to safeguard the rights of children through gazetted Protection Acts, Youth Invest expressed that there is room for more.
“In line with Aspiration 7 of Africa’s Agenda 2040, (we) implore the government 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;
“Provide means of redress and fighting impunity, as well as for addressing the root causes of harmful practices affecting children; Put in place quality programmes and services to prevent and respond to violence against children, and enhance collective advocacy efforts to promote non-violent values and awareness raising to transform attitudes condoning violence against children,” reads part of the statement.
This year’s theme is particularly relevant in Zimbabwe where child marriages persist with almost one in three Zimbabwean girls marrying before the legal age of marriage. Child labor is also rife, as stated by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency that, 71% of children under 16 years are working in agriculture, forestry and fishing and 5.4% are in the mining and quarrying sectors.
