Child protection a must for every politician

Obituaries
It’s an election year once again. To politicians it means way up the ladder to the political office and all its benefits. To children it means parents being beaten up or killed; health and rights being violated and the minors being made even more vulnerable to political exploitation than in previous years.

 

Our job as advocates is to be aware, and to listen for what matters. For politicians, there is an office to win, for us there are more child rights to lose.

Each five years Zimbabwe votes a new breed of policy makers into Parliament, most of them ignorant of what they will be expected to do for the constituencies that voted them into political office.

Parliamentarians are mandated by our votes to use parliamentary procedure and mechanisms on our behalf to oversee government action and ensure that they meet global child protection requirements. Their government agreed to uphold human rights without reservations when it signed, in case of Zimbabwe, the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC).

In past years we have seen those voted into Parliament working overnight formulating policies that please their political leaders rather than those who voted them into power. As they work on policy formulation, it is my advice to  parliamentarians that as they work hard to please their masters, they should also remember those with the powers to vote them out of office by making use of parliamentary mechanisms to ensure that child protection issues are mainstreamed in all parliamentary and governmental activities.

They should also ensure that responsibilities and mandates of governmental departments are clearly defined in order to ensure proper coordination and avoid gaps in government implementation of child friendly policies.

Parliamentarians, as fathers and mothers themselves, should learn to listen to children’s needs as it is the only way they can understand what is expected of them while in Parliament. Adolescent period is a critical stage in a person’s growth and development. Let us all jointly pay close attention to the particular needs and concerns of our children today and also create opportunities for them to participate in society. Let us allow them freedom and opportunity to mature into healthy adults.

As the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) draws near; every effort must be made to ensure the equal well-being of children in Zimbabwe. While keeping their hopes and dreams alive, it is up to us to enable our children to reach their full potential. Let us work together with them to make life a positive adventure.

Election time must not be a scary period to our children; but must be used as an opportunity to teach them how to practice their God given right to choose the leaders that they want. This is an opportunity for us to teach them how to uphold human rights and promote democracy and to learn to treat all human beings in the world equally as their partners and friends in development, regardless of colour, religious or political background.

With the loudest voices we must all say NO! to political violence and child sexual abuse and exploitation. No to child labour and child trafficking.

We need to show our strength to policy makers. Before they get into political office let’s tell them what we expect them to do for our children. It’s time for us all to come together and make this world a better place for every child.

 

BY ELPHAS McLOUD ZADZAGOMO MOYO CHARI