World Vision tackles violence against children in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Petronella Kagonye has called for an end to key socio-cultural practices inherent in the country’s societies that are largely contributing to alarming rates of violence against children cases.
Speaking at World Vision’s launch of a five year campaign to end violence against children on 24 January, 2018, she said:
“Let every cultural practice that works against the rights of children come to an end with this campaign, and let every religious doctrine that suffocates the rights of children be a thing of the past. In the same spirit, the campaign should leave no child behind. I challenge you to go beyond, reach far and wide,” she said.
World Vision and child rights advocates in Zimbabwe launched the campaign - “It Takes a World to end Violence against Children” aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against children. The focus in Zimbabwe is on ending sexual violence against children, seeking to catalyse a movement of people committed to keeping children safe from harm.
This is part of a global campaign that World Vision has so far rolled out, in a number of countries.
As part of the campaign, World Vision and its partners will advocate for policy changes and increase funding for programmes to protect children against sexual violence.
Zimbabwe National Council for Welfare of Children National Director, Taylor Nyanhete said this campaign is important to the country as they have evidence of increased violence against children. He said as an umbrella organisation one of whose objectives is to coordinate the work of organisations who are key players in the child rights sector, they are lobbying and advocating for child protection initiatives in the country. He emphasized the need for the Zimbabwean government to align the Children’s Act and Children’s Justice Bill to the new Constitution as well as the enactment of the Marriage Act. These are vital in ending all forms of violence against children.
World Vision Zimbabwe National Director, Emmanuel Isch said the country's policies must fully protect the rights and interests of children. Perpetrators of sexual violence against children must face prompt justice.
“Sexual violence against children unfortunately is one of the critical challenges that the world is currently confronting. Zimbabwe is no exception. The prevalence of sexual violence among girls and women is over 30%, child marriages remain common and more than 100 girls are reportedly sexually abused every day,” said Isch.
World Vision Southern Africa Regional Advisor-Advocacy and Justice for Children, Barbara Kalima-Phiri said Zimbabwe is the third country in the Southern part of the continent to launch the campaign after Mozambique and Lesotho. She emphasized the need to take action arguing that the campaign launch alone was not enough.
“It will be a waste of resources if after this launch we keep quiet and not act against violence against children. I do not think we will be doing justice to children being abused. We want to see a Zimbabwe that is free of violence, enough is enough,” she said.
World Vision’s campaign aligns with and contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 16.2 to “end the abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children. The Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2015 indicated that 14% of women aged 15-49 reported that they have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives, and 8% experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months.
World Vision has dedicated its efforts to securing the well-being of children, promoting their rights and participation across 100 countries in which it works globally. In Zimbabwe, World Vision operates in 31 districts providing education, water and sanitation, a promote health and livelihoods support to communities.