Theseus Shambare
Zimbabwe has pledged to eradicate violence against children by 2030.
Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mercy Dinha said this at the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogota, Colombia.
The conference ended on Friday.
“The Government of Zimbabwe commits to scale up implementation and enforcement of child-friendly laws and policies criminalising sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” said Deputy Minister Dinha.
This includes reviewing the legal framework to address emerging child protection concerns.
To ensure a safe learning environment, Deputy Minister Dinha said Zimbabwe will improve school infrastructure and strengthen reporting mechanisms.
“The Government of Zimbabwe commits to advancing education accessibility, improving infrastructure and disability-friendly environments in schools,” she said.
Parent and caregiver support will also be prioritised.
“The Government of Zimbabwe commits to operationalise a new provision in the Children’s Act [Chapter 5:06] as amended, which emphasises family preservation and early intervention,” said the Deputy Minister.
Zimbabwe also recognises the importance of addressing online violence and abuse.
“We commit to protect all children against negative aspects of technological advancements that expose them to online violence and abuse,” said Deputy Minister Dinha.
To address the economic factors contributing to child violence, the Government will implement social protection programmes and improve access to stable income streams for vulnerable households.
“The Government of Zimbabwe further commits to enhance public sector financing of child protection,” she said.
This includes fostering public-private partnerships to sustain robust child protection systems.
Zimbabwe will also strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
“We further pledge to enhance evidence generation and robust monitoring and evaluation systems through electronic case management systems to ensure effective interventions that strengthen prevention of violence against children,” Deputy Minister Dinha concluded.
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