Government failing to protect children

...idle, Paurina Gwanyanya Mpariwa

Article by Clayton Moyo

Zimbabwe is still failing to protect children from forced labour and sexual abuse as been revealed by United States Embassy 2009 Human Rights Report.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare responsible for the monitoring and administration of child labour laws is reportedly lacking capacity to do so as there is a shortage of personnel for the inspection.

Children under the age of fifteen living in areas around Chiadzwa diamond mining fields have been subjected to carrying mining activities under the guard of soldiers, the report claims. It is also alleged that teenage girls working in these mine fields are being sexually exploited by state security forces and other male illegal miners.

Elsewhere in Shurugwi, the report reveals that children between the ages of 12 and 16 are engaged in mining of gold in abandoned gold mining shafts under unhealthy and dangerous environments.

“In other areas children panned for alluvial gold and used dangerous chemicals, including mercury, in purification processes,” reveals the report.

Reports from non governmental organisations also reveal that some children are forced to work in farms and plantations. These children are reportedly being used as domestic labourers by family members. The worst affected children are AIDS related orphans. In some cases they are not paid for their labour as their employers claim that they are assisting the children with shelter.

The report also reveals that it is not only children in rural set-ups who suffer from forced labour and denial of education, in cities children are commonly work as street vendors and as guards and car cleaners.