Of The African Child’s Harmful Social And Cultural Practices
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The issue of sustainable development for children
in Africa continue to stick out like a sore thumb. Most children in Africa face
a myriad of problems such as abuse, early marriages, drug abuse, forced labour,
trafficking and prostitution.
Article 21 of the African Charter on the Rights
and Welfare of the Child makes specific references to harmful social and
cultural practices. It states that member countries shall take all appropriate
measures to eliminate harmful social and cultural practices affecting the
welfare, dignity, normal growth and development of the child.
It further states that child marriages shall be
prohibited and effective action, including legislation, shall be taken to
specify the minimum age of marriage as 18 and make registration of all
marriages in an official registry compulsory.
But in Zimbabwe, we still hear and see young girls
being married before they reach the age of consent with those behind such acts roaming
freely. Young girls are dropping out of school because of early marriages.
The issues of child prostitution haunts Africa and
the world. Globally, it is estimated that about 10 million children under the
age of 18 years participate in prostitution related activities.
Furthermore, United Nations statistics show that
an estimated one million children are forced into prostitution every year. According
to the United Nations Children Rights Commission (UNCRC), and its Optional
Protocol on the sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography
prohibits “the act of obtaining,
procuring or offering the services of a child or inducing a child to perform
sexual acts for any form of compensation or reward”.
However, an increasing number of Zimbabwean
children are exposed to pornographic material on social media or the internet. The
threat to morality has seen calls for Government to speed up the cyber-crime
law becoming louder.
It is time to move away from the habit of speeches
without implementing issues being raised by children and the youth. Children
are calling for practicalities that will protect their well-being as they are
leaders of tomorrow.
There is need to educate communities, especially
on the rights and responsibilities of children. Information is key in ensuring
that child protection systems begin to function at grassroots level.
Accredited to Tanzikwa Guranungo
Writing for The Sunday Mail (Zimbabwe)
Adopted and edited by Tapiwa Zuze
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