News / Press Release
International Children's Day statement - ZWIPA
02 Jun 2017 at 09:06hrs | Views
Today is International Children Day. Children's rights in most third world countries are still just but a piece of paper.
The International Day for Protection of Children is observed in many countries as Children's Day on 1 June since 1950. It was established by the Women's International Democratic Federation on its congress in Moscow (4 November 1949).
Children's Day is not just a day to celebrate children for who they are, but to bring awareness to children around the globe that have experienced violence in forms of abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Children are used as labourers in some countries including Zimbabwe, immersed in armed conflict, living on the streets, suffering by differences be it religion, minority issues, or disabilities.
Child Labour is illegal in Zimbabwe but children are being abused in mines, farms, used as domestic help and some forced into servitude because they are orphans. Every child must be able to attend to school it is their constitutional and fundamental right to have access to education.
Children are innocent, they are pure and untainted from the world. They are sponges that will soak up whatever their environment is in life, good or bad. They have a clean slate and can love anything and do anything if fed with healthy encouragement. Thus we should invest in our children. Children are the ones that have the biggest dreams and believe they can do anything. They believe life is simple and so are the problems in it.
Children are considered as the building blocks of a strong nation. Children are very small but have the capacity to change the nation positively. They are the responsible citizens of tomorrow as development of the country lies in their hands only if we change the way we socialize our children. Children's Day celebration also reminds us about their rights which they are not being accorded at home, school and in public places. Children are leaders of tomorrow so they need to get respect, special care and protection from their parents, teachers and other members of the family. They are being abused in many ways in our nation by their family members, relatives, neighbours or other strangers.
Children's day celebration reminds us about the importance of children in the family, society and country. Child marriages are on the rise 18 months after child marriages were outlawed. The minister of Justice Hon. Emerson Mnangagwa and Nyasha Chikwinya have failed to put in place laws to protect the girl child. This shows that our justice ministry and other relevant ministries do not prioritize children's rights and its a cause for concern when judgements are not acted upon.
In Zimbabwe schools are closing, children are being married off, children sleep at road sides selling whatever they can for a meal, children are starving, children are orphaned, children are dying.
As Zimbabweans, we have to stand in the gap and demand our children's right to life from the most selfish 93year old evil tyrant.
It is our mandate as mother's to secure the future our children by making the right decisions. It is our obligation to protect children's rights and advocates for children's rights awareness programs in all schools.
Happy children's day to all the children in the world.
Linda T. Masarira
ZWIPA Director
The International Day for Protection of Children is observed in many countries as Children's Day on 1 June since 1950. It was established by the Women's International Democratic Federation on its congress in Moscow (4 November 1949).
Children's Day is not just a day to celebrate children for who they are, but to bring awareness to children around the globe that have experienced violence in forms of abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Children are used as labourers in some countries including Zimbabwe, immersed in armed conflict, living on the streets, suffering by differences be it religion, minority issues, or disabilities.
Child Labour is illegal in Zimbabwe but children are being abused in mines, farms, used as domestic help and some forced into servitude because they are orphans. Every child must be able to attend to school it is their constitutional and fundamental right to have access to education.
Children are innocent, they are pure and untainted from the world. They are sponges that will soak up whatever their environment is in life, good or bad. They have a clean slate and can love anything and do anything if fed with healthy encouragement. Thus we should invest in our children. Children are the ones that have the biggest dreams and believe they can do anything. They believe life is simple and so are the problems in it.
Children are considered as the building blocks of a strong nation. Children are very small but have the capacity to change the nation positively. They are the responsible citizens of tomorrow as development of the country lies in their hands only if we change the way we socialize our children. Children's Day celebration also reminds us about their rights which they are not being accorded at home, school and in public places. Children are leaders of tomorrow so they need to get respect, special care and protection from their parents, teachers and other members of the family. They are being abused in many ways in our nation by their family members, relatives, neighbours or other strangers.
Children's day celebration reminds us about the importance of children in the family, society and country. Child marriages are on the rise 18 months after child marriages were outlawed. The minister of Justice Hon. Emerson Mnangagwa and Nyasha Chikwinya have failed to put in place laws to protect the girl child. This shows that our justice ministry and other relevant ministries do not prioritize children's rights and its a cause for concern when judgements are not acted upon.
In Zimbabwe schools are closing, children are being married off, children sleep at road sides selling whatever they can for a meal, children are starving, children are orphaned, children are dying.
As Zimbabweans, we have to stand in the gap and demand our children's right to life from the most selfish 93year old evil tyrant.
It is our mandate as mother's to secure the future our children by making the right decisions. It is our obligation to protect children's rights and advocates for children's rights awareness programs in all schools.
Happy children's day to all the children in the world.
Linda T. Masarira
ZWIPA Director
Source - Linda T. Masarira
