Spotlighting the Rights of Children in Zimbabwe: Roles and Challenges for Non-Governmental Organisations (original) (raw)
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Provision of child protection services in Zimbabwe: review of the human rights perspective
The article reviews child protection services in Zimbabwe and its interface with the changing social and economic environment. Within the qualitative research design, the study deployed the documentary analysis and the interview of six key informants only, which created an epistemological front for knowledge production. The study was guided by the Human Rights Perspective and established that the Child Protection Services in Zimbabwe have been marred with a plethora of socioeconomic encounters which stretch from policy inconsistency, corruption, brain drain, lack of operational research, lack of capacity of Department of Social Development and the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these issues are global concerns. Drawing from Human Rights Perspective, the study concludes that the socioeconomic challenges associated with child protection services in Zimbabwe demonstrate the violation of children's as enshrined in provisions of Convention on the Rights of the Child. The research concludes by arguing for provision of more investment towards child service programmes in Zimbabwe. The study respectfully recommends that key stakeholders can improve this state of affairs by promoting child rights.
There has been a presumption that the idea of universal participation of children in every sphere of life is practical and achievable. Yet, applying the principle of participation in statutory child protection is a very complicated task which has resulted in varying levels of application in different countries. This paper provides a critical review of the extent to which participation rights of children in statutory child protection are instituted in Zimbabwe. It will be argued that while Zimbabwe has made significant progress in embedding child participation on paper, the reality of child protection practice shows that the full realisation of this right remains an arduous task. The paper discusses the challenges that exist and highlights the opportunities available towards the full realisation of child participatory rights during child protection processes in Zimbabwe.
Towards respecting children's rights, obligations and responsibilities: The Zimbabwean case
School Psychology International, 2014
This article reports on an attempt to demonstrate the importance of putting theory into practice in a way that will impact on the lives of children who are currently being denied their basic rights. Purposive sampling of schools in urban areas in Harare Province, Zimbabwe, was used with data collected from 147 participants (M age ¼ 16.9, SD ¼ 1.38) that was subjected to quantitative analysis. Data were gathered on participants' views on children's rights and obligations and their understanding and implementation of the Bills of Rights. Children acknowledged that their rights were being implemented although inadequately; adults living in urban areas were perceived to have knowledge of children's rights and were said to implement them. To resolve the challenges to the implementation of children's rights and obligations, a multi-sectoral approach is required.
The Role of Non-governmental Organizations in the Protection of Human Rights in South Africa
Child Rights' refers to those human rights which are very essential for all-round development of a child. These rights are fundamental rights which make their life meaningful. However, in today's world all children do not enjoy their rights equally. Among all sections of people children are the most neglected, exploited and vulnerable to almost all forms of social evils. In the developing countries of the world problems relating to children like infanticide, child marriage, child trafficking, child labour, child prostitution, drug addicted children etc. are very severe. As a developing country India has also been struggling with similar problems. In the North Eastern state of Assam also problems relating to children is seen almost in all parts of the state. Efforts are being made by the government and several other agencies to protect and promote the rights of children. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the role of Non-Governmental Organizations in protection and promotion of child rights. The study was carried out in North Lakhimpur SubDivision of Lakhimpur District of Assam State. The study is based on both theoretical and empirical data. The methodology used for the study was in-depth interview through both Qualitative and Quantitative Research techniques. The study assumes significance as it intends to highlight the ground reality of the functioning of Non-Governmental Organizations in the study area.
Child Abuse Research: A South African Journal 2019, 2019
Much has been written about children's rights cultural contestation around the world and in Zimbabwe in particular but little is known about its impact in the support of OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) within the rural communities of Zimbabwe. This phenomenological qualitative study seeks to examine the impact of child rights cultural contestation in supporting OVC in Zimbabwe. The study focuses on the lived experiences, perceptions, feelings and views of OVC and care-givers in the Gutu District of Zimbabwe. Data were collected through in-depth narrative interviews conducted with 40 participants which include both caregivers and OVCs purposively sampled in the Gutu District of Zimbabwe. The results revealed that even though the children's rights have been widely publicised and implemented through various channels, the local rural communities are still espousing their cultural oriented ways of child upbringing which interferes with children's rights as disseminated by United Nations Declaration for Children's Rights (UNDCR). The study proposed the establishment of an integrated stakeholders' approach to the rural people about the essence of the children's rights. In such instances, the children's right is rendered more effective and is better entrenched when it is channelled through the traditional ways of child upbringing.
The study sought to establish the adequacy of the Children " s Protection and Adoption Act Chapter 5:06 in protecting children from abuse. The representative sample consisted of thirty (30) officials who held positions of managerial in the various government line ministries and non-governmental organizations operating in Harare Metropolitan Province, which could also influence policy formulation and implementation in the various government line ministries and non-governmental organizations that operate in the child sector field. A qualitative research descriptive survey design was employed to guide the methodology. Data was collected using the interview schedule guide. Qualitative data analysis with descriptive statistics was used in the presentation, interpretation and analysis of data. The results showed that the Children " s Protection and Adoption Act Chapter 5:06 " s adequacy in protecting children from abuse had almost ninety (90%) percent of the participants in agreement that the Act was a good document on paper but lacked value when it came to the real situation on the ground. Another finding was that there was lack of coordination amongst stakeholders in the child sector as each organization tended to compete with the other in fighting to protect children from abuse. Activities of all stakeholders needed to be well coordinated to avoid issues to do with duplication of roles and competition that tends to dilute the best interest practices for children from abuse. Recommendations made include the allocation of all arresting and prosecution powers to be vested in the Ministry that administers the Act, so as to avoid duplication of roles amongst various stakeholders in protecting children from abuse.
Peer reviewed article, 2020
The plight of street children has become a major social concern. These children encounter psychological, economic and social challenges in their quest to make ends meet in the streets they perceive as "safe haven". Drawing from a mixed method approach that triangulates surveys, interviews, focus groups and literature sources, this study explores the implementation of government social protection programmes in addressing the challenges faced by street children in Harare Metropolitan Province in Zimbabwe. Using a human rights approach to address the challenges encountered by street children, social protection programmes and institutional care were instituted to "protect" and "promote" livelihoods of street children. Nevertheless, social protection programmes have attracted severe criticism because they fail to curb the challenges encountered by children staying in the streets. Findings of this study show that children living in the streets have partially benefitted from some of the social protection programmes, such as Free Treatment Organization which provides free treatment from public hospitals and clinics. Findings revealed further that street children are still being illtreated, do not access formal or informal education, lack basic needs, and do not have birth certificates which impedes them from applying for grants or national identification cards. This paper recommends that government should assess the needs of street children separately because their situation and social environment are different from other vulnerable children.
2014
The focus of the study was to evaluate implemented program by the government and NGOS In trying to promote children`s rights on children on the move: A focus on illegal child migrants in ward 5 Mwenezi District Zimbabwe. The research was qualitative in nature and purposive sampling was used as easiest way of sampling the research participants' during this research .it focused on the group of people who once migrated illegal and they have got detailed information on the living experience. Government departments and NGOs which has something to do the children`s rights also participated in this research with relevant information. These key informants include those from social service, plan international,. The area of study was Mwenezi district ward 5 in Zimbabwe. The people in Mwenezi depend much on subsistence 4 .
2012
This article focuses on the social protection programmes that have been put in place in Zimbabwe to assist orphaned and vulnerable children. The programmes inter-a-lia includes BEAM, adoption, institutionalisation, Free Treatment Orders, and the National Plan of Action for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. It is argued that though the programmes are commendable, they have gaps which need to be addressed. This will result in many orphans and vulnerable children lead a near normal life. The article is concluded by making some recommendations which might make the social protection programmes more responsive to the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children.