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under the theme: “All together for urgent actions in favour of street children.”
Speaking to journalists in Harare yesterday, Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasuku-were said the theme was in recognition of the huge challenge facing children living on the streets.
“In Zimbabwe, the growing population of children living on the streets is a reflection of high orphan population in the country.
“There are over 1, 6 million children who have been orphaned, most of them due to HIV and Aids. Undoubtedly, many of these young people face immense challenges and deprivations and struggle to access even the most basic social services, forcing them into undesirable situations such as living on the streets,” he said.
Minister Kasukuwere hailed the outgoing Junior Parliament’s presentation to Copac recently calling for the incorporation of a Bill of rights for children.
“The outgoing Junior Parliament made very strong presentation to Copac calling for the incorporation of a Bill of rights for children and young people in the new Constitution which is being worked on.
“We stand in support of this call and will continue to push for the incorporation of a specific Bill of rights concerning children and young people in the new constitution,” he said.
Minister Kasukuwere said over the next weeks, Zimbabwe would use the momentum of the Day of the African Child to motivate different stakeholders to urgently come up with solutions aimed to improving the welfare of the children.
Unicef country representative, Dr Peter Salama, said children deserved a special place in the Constitution.
“Let’s children’s rights be enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” he said.