Girl rights movement bemoans children abuse
GIRL rights movement, Shamwari Yemwanasikana, has bemoaned rampant child abuse during the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
The movement has noted with concern scenarios of abuse cases circulating on different social media platforms.
In a statement, the movement said: “Following three recent child abuse cases that we have come across on social media, one of which being a four-year-old infant who was being assaulted by the mother because she was having problems with the father.
“Another one being a man who allegedly bashed his son to death after accusing him of stealing US$10 and the third being of a Matabeleland North man who allegedly assaulted a minor and infected her with an STI.
“We as the Girl Rights Movement are expressing our sentiments with regards to these three scenarios illustrating violations against children’s rights.
“As a collective body making strides towards putting to an end all forms of abuse against children, we are deeply concerned about the welfare of children which remains to be an issue especially owing to the extended lockdown period as well as poverty which is also a strong factor behind violation of children’s rights in many circumstances.” The movement said they do not condone abuse against children.
“We stand against child abuse inflicted on minors in any form, verbal, neglect, psychological, sexual as well as physical abuse.
“We stand against lashing out on minors and venting out negative energy on them as they happen to be a weaker and less harmful stimulus by reasons of age.
“The movement also stands against using brutal measures in the form of punishing children for misbehaving and bad conduct.
“We always encourage use of negative reinforcement so as to discourage bad behaviour in children.
“Child abuse of any form has dire effects on child development and will consequently affect one’s adulthood as well.”
Added the statement: “At national level Zimbabwe has a progressive Constitution epitomised by Section 81 which is a Bill of Children’s Rights and the Children’s Act Chapter 5,06.
“It is then from such a background that we purpose to outline that Children have rights too, Children Rights are Human Rights.
“It is then everyone’s duty to safeguard these rights, it is the role of every member of the society to see to it that children are safe, protected and are well taken of.”
Zimbabwe as a nation has ratified several international legal framework including, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (OPSC).
TWO police officers were attacked and pushed into a storm water drain with sewer water by members of the public.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
The police officers are seen in the video being attacked and try to retaliate while the crowd is heard cheering the attackers.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations had begun with a view to establishing facts behind the brawl and identification of the police officers.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has noted a video circulating on social media where some uniformed police officers are involved in a scuffle with unidentified men,” said Ass Comm Nyathi.
“Investigations have been instituted to establish the facts behind the brawl and the identity of the officers concerned as well as the place and date,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ass Comm Nyathi warned people against vuzu parties and breaking lockdown regulations following the arrest of 10 people for holding a vuzu party at Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo on Saturday.
In Harare, H-Metro phones were inundated with calls on Sunday from Glen Norah Flats residents where a party was held at Block 7531 and ended around midnight.
“We are not aware if people are now allowed to hold parties because our safety from Covid-19 and peace have been compromised here,” one of the callers said.
“Where are patrolling police officers because it’s now around midnight with people partying without police visibility here in Glen Norah Flats,” another said.
YESTERDAY we led with a story in which a lady was under the spotlight for allegedly abusing her toddler daughter over the crimes of her father.
Social workers from South Africa had to attend to the lady to see if she was fit enough to raise the child.
Such is the protection awarded to children that they can be taken away by social services should the parent or guardian prove to be abusive be it physically, emotionally or sexually. The latter (emotional abuse) is often taken for granted, but it can be the worst form of abuse for kids and with terrible consequences.
We once published a story headlined “Missing girl found sleeping in forest” in which a seven-year-old girl who went missing for a week was found sleeping in a bushy area after she had fled spanking from her mother.
The child was found by two women who took her to their home where the minor disclosed that she had run away after her mother allegedly beat her up over school work.
Such is the strain we put on kids when we abuse them.
This is proof that the Government was right to ban corporal punishment.
This is proof that there are a lot of cruel people out there.
People who will hurt innocent children who never wronged them. People who personify evil to the extent of hurting little children to get back at their parents or for merely detesting them.
We once published the story of a 19-year-old stepmother who was jailed for forcing her stepdaughter to eat her own poop for messing her blankets.
We also once published a story of a Harare man who was jailed for four months for burning his fouryear-old son’s fingers as punishment for failing to count to ten.
The man took the child’s hands and placed them on a hot stove because the child had failed to read. So horrid was this punishment that the child had to be taken to hospital.
These cases are clear proof that some parents, guardians and sadly teachers too, think if harmed physically, children can change aspects of their character to suit the adults’ preferences. That is a wrong and most unfortunate assumption.
Such acts are not only cruel and criminal but also the reason why many young people grow up into failures who lack confidence in themselves and trust in adults as people who are there to make the world safer for them.
Adults who put such fear in children deserve to be punished.
There is no way one can speed up a child’s understanding by physically hurting them. That is what kills every child’s love for school or learning.
These children deserve to be loved even if they do not return the affection.
But what is more important to grasp is the fact that learning and physical abuse or corporal punishment should not be mentioned in the same sentence if the former is to bear any fruit.
Parents, guardians and teachers, please take note.
UNITED KINGDOM-BASED music promoter, Rickson “Rokafeller” Kuvarega, has ventured into the transport business.
Rokafeller, who has promoted a number of music shows and artistes locally and in the UK over the years, now operates a transport company by the name Rokafeller.
The company is based in Harare under the management of Stanely “Blu Ice” Chiveza.
In an interview with H-Metro, Rokafeller said this was a dream come true for him.
“I am really happy, owning trucks has always been a dream for me and I’m glad that dream has been fulfilled.
“I am a very patriotic citizen and that’s why I had to open this business in Zimbabwe and try and create employment back home.
“As it stands, I have employed 19 people and this is only the beginning.”
Asked whether he is still interested in promoting music shows, he said: “Yes of course, I will continue to promote music shows, it’s just that at this moment nothing is really going on because of Covid-19.
“Once the environment is conducive for shows again I am sure we will be doing something.”
Chiveza, who is the operations manager at Rokafeller added:
“We have a total of 14 trucks, including refrigerated ones.
“Our aim is to create convenience and make sure we deliver goods on time and in mint condition.”