The Sunday Mail
Emmanuel Kafe
Features Reporter
Today, Africa celebrates the Day of the African Child in honour of the events of June 16 1976, commonly known as the Soweto Uprising.
The day saw schoolchildren rising up with courage against the apartheid regime in South Africa.
But for many children across the continent, the Day of the African Child is like any other day.
And for street children like Mike Pendo, a good night’s sleep is something he can only dream about, especially as the winter cold bites into his frail skin.
The teenage boy left his village in 2008 after succumbing to the pressures of child abuse and poverty.
He now has friends on the streets of Harare.
“Sniffing glue is a way of escaping from the harsh realities of life,” he said.
Refugees in an urban environment that they do not really understand, Pendo and his friends are perfect fodder for the underworld of drugs, sex, theft and violence.
Frail in body yet indomitable in spirit, they live each day as it comes.
Their story is a replica of many other African children.
In a socio-economic environment dominated by poverty, economic and socio-political instability, the African child is usually subjected to many ills.
Is it not time for Africa to pause and reflect on the plight of its children?
This year’s theme for the Day of the African Child commemorations is: “Humanitarian Action in Africa: Children’s Rights First”. It comes at a time when many children are grappling with a myriad of challenges.
While Zimbabwe joins other countries to mark the Day of African Child, it is very sad that some of the children have to celebrate the day in the streets.
It is equally disturbing to note that many children across the continent are being deprived of their rights through heinous practices such as child trafficking, child labour, child marriages, neglect and sexual abuse.
This is an indication that society still has a long way to go in terms of preventing child abuse.
It is, therefore, vital for Government to reflect on these challenges and put it place more measures to protect the children.
Last year’s Unicef report revealed disturbing data on violence against children, some as young as one year old. This abuse is commonplace in homes, schools and communities.
“Three-quarters of the world’s two to four-year-old children, around 300 million, experience psychological aggression and or physical punishment by their caregivers at home,” reads part of the report.
In Zimbabwe, it is depressing to note that contrary to efforts being made by Government to address these societal ills affecting children, some sections of the society, particularly religious groups or cults, continue to abuse and violate the rights of children.
Some apostolic sects force children into early marriages while others deny them access to education. For those that do attend school, some are forced to drop out owing to poverty.
In some quarters, virgin girls are used to placate avenging spirits.
Some of the apostolic sects bar the children from seeking medical attention.
Of late, child trafficking has been on the increase, with reports of many children being smuggled into neighbouring countries.
The consequences of child trafficking and child labour are far-reaching as they derail the children’s future.
The Aids pandemic, which saw the emergence of several child-headed households, left many children exposed to abuse and cheap child labour.
Children as young as seven years old are working for their own meals. Others are also working for their families in tobacco fields.
Although rural areas, farm and mine communities are taking the lead in this trend, urban areas are not an exception, especially among the low-income groups in high-density suburbs and informal settlements.
Child labour causes a high level of stress in these children, culminating in trauma and anti-social behaviour.
It is a complex matrix of psychological disturbances leading to the many problems of moral decadence and crime that reaching a peak during their adult lives.
The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child calls on state parties to take legislative measures to protect children from child labour, trafficking and all sexual abuse.
In Zimbabwe, Section 11 of the Labour Act and Section 10 of the Children’s Act regulate the employment of children. They provide that children under the age of 15 cannot be employed.
This is also in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Section 138 on the minimum age of admission for employment.
All these provisions are in line with Goal 1 of the Millennium Development Goals.
Due to its predominance and perpetuation despite the apparent fatal implications it bears on the development of children, it is crucial for the relevant authorities to explore ways of prohibiting child labour.
