By Caven Masuku
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS in Zimbabwe are human rights for children and people under the age of 18. In Zimbabwe children rights issue though talked about are not taken serious by the media practitioners,
In 1989, the United Nations agreed that children need a special convention for their own. It states that people under 18 have all the rights whatever their race, religion, sex and abilities.
However, in Zimbabwe children are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Some are employed as cattle headman or maids and the money they are paid is far below poverty datum line. Samuel Moyo told Caven Masuku that physical or emotional abuse can scar children.
Media portrayal of children has an impact to their attitude. Media portrayal provides role model for youngsters to influence their expectations.
Children should be given an opportunity to speak for themselves. Media especially in Zimbabwe should remind the public to respect children as individual human beings.
In most articles in newspapers children are portrayed as helpless and inactive. In feature articles they are depicted as irresponsible teenagers.
There is need to urge journalists and media houses to set an agenda on children’s issues. Both rural and urban children should be allowed to air their views on the abuse they face in everyday life.
Journalist should protect children when reporting about them by avoiding naming them and exposing them to hatred.
Again ethical concerns should be observed. Children have the right to protection, education and healthcare said Sam Mudiwa.
In Zimbabwe despite the government’s effort to fulfill the right to basic primary education, many children especially in rural areas are facing challenges to attain primary education.
Education in Zimbabwe is expensive and beyond reach to many. Children’s with peasant background struggle to complete their primary education. Let it alone with secondary education which sometime remains beyond their imagination.
It is painful to read about a girl child immoral behavior at tertiary institutions with providing solution he added.
It is the role of the media to open up for children to discuss their rights and share with the rest on how their rights can be improved.
