Be deliberate about our children, invest now!
Zimrights Statement on the Day of The African Child
On this Day of the African Child, ZimRights stands in solidarity with African children to commemorate their courage, demand justice, and reflect on the journey towards realising children’s rights across the continent. We remember the brave children of Soweto in 1976 whose protest against injustice ignited a movement that continues to shape our human rights agenda today.
This year’s theme, “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010,” is a timely reminder that meaningful protection of children’s rights requires more than promises—it demands deliberate, transparent investment of resources and policies that put the needs of children first.
Since 2010, Zimbabwe has taken some positive steps. We acknowledge the expanded school feeding programmes in vulnerable districts, the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), and a growing awareness around birth registration and child protection. However, real progress must go beyond isolated interventions. Planning and budgeting must reflect the holistic needs of children, from education and healthcare to legal identity, protection, and participation.
At ZimRights, our work with communities has shown us the lived realities behind the statistics. From our campaign against the Vagrancy Act, we have seen how outdated colonial laws continue to criminalise poverty and directly affect children who live and work on the streets. These children are not vagrants—they are victims of inequality, abandonment, and a broken system that prioritises punishment over protection.
Through the People’s Human Rights Manifesto, communities across Zimbabwe have demanded government accountability on issues affecting children, including lack of access to documentation, rampant child labour in informal mining communities, and the unsafe conditions in schools and public institutions. These issues remain underfunded and often overlooked in national budgeting processes.
Children are not only beneficiaries of rights—they are active citizens. Zimbabwe’s commitment to the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) must be fully domesticated and implemented with adequate budgetary support. Equally, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) encourages youth participation and democratic inclusion. The future of our democracy depends on young voices being heard—not only during elections, but in policy design, planning, and resource allocation.
We call on the Government of Zimbabwe to:
- Align all child-related laws and budgets with the ACRWC and ACDEG;
- Fully repeal the Vagrancy Act and enact protective legislation for vulnerable children;
- Ensure every child has a birth certificate and access to quality, inclusive education;
- Open civic spaces where children and youth can participate meaningfully in governance;
- Budget transparently and equitably to address systemic issues raised by communities.
On this day, ZimRights reaffirms its commitment to working with communities to ensure every child in Zimbabwe grows up free from fear, free from violence, and full of hope.
The time to invest in our children is not tomorrow—it is now.
Issued by the Information Department
info@zimrights.org.zw
