Displaying 1 - 10 of 22
ABSTRACT
The extent of the vulnerability of orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe has been on the increase. To investigate the challenges faced in addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Marondera, focus group discussions and interviews were utilised. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data in this study and the data was presented in themes. The findings from the study indicated that there was a need to increase the capacity of the Social Welfare Department. They also indicated the need for proper alignment of policy development and implementation, as well…
ABSTRACT
Zimbabwe adopted the National Orphan Care Policy at the turn of the millennium due to a sharp rise in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) from the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The policy embraced a ‘six-tier system’ that spelled out six social safety nets for OVC. The six-tier system was seen as a cheaper route towards curtailing the problem of child protection that had grown beyond the capacity of the government. It invoked the traditional social safety nets that had been part of traditional African society. Traditional African cultural values were centered on the notion of…
Abstract
Family constitutes more than simple living arrangements, and these systems are of pivotal development importance in sub-Saharan Africa. The diversity of family structures and types in sub-Saharan Africa has warranted an examination of the various policies and laws in the region. This paper examines all policy and laws related to families in the South, West, East and Central regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The paper highlights the sundry of policies and laws that are influenced by cultural and religious differences within and across regions. Issues relating to patriarchy and…
Abstract
The desire to understand young adults’ transition into adulthood from informal kinship-based foster care has been growing. This article examines the challenges encountered by, and the opportunities available to, young adults as they transition from informal kinship-based foster care to independent living in the Bikita District of Zimbabwe. In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 young people who had left care and key informants. Data were analyzed using a thematic framework. Key findings included the young adults’ need for proper preparation in formal education, health, social…
ABSTRACT
The United Kingdom (UK) and Zimbabwe have shared political history, with ties emanating from colonization in 1890. Social work as a profession in Zimbabwe traces its history from colonisation, Kaseke (1991), where the profession was imported into Zimbabwe in 1964, but later on went through an indigenisation process. In theory, the legislation governing child protection in Zimbabwe borrows much from the UK system, however in practice, notwithstanding that the Zimbabwean system is not fraught with flaws entirely, there are still valuable lessons that can be derived from the UK child…
This report highlights key findings from a social norms study conducted in Zimbabwe to understand the drivers of violence affecting children. Many drivers of violence against children may not be social in nature and instead are related to structural or interpersonal risk factors. However, many drivers of violence are normative in nature. In order to prevent the root causes of these manifestations of violence, we need to understand the elements of what makes a belief a social norm.
Several theorists have written about what defines a social norm and how best to measure social norms. Many…
The purpose of this document is to provide a framework for implementation of the National Case Management System (NCMS) for the care, protection and welfare of children in Zimbabwe. It includes core concepts and principles, standard operating procedures, and forms applicable in similar contexts. The document outlines the national case management conceptual framework, standard operating procedures in the case management system, guidance on facilitating the case management process, and roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders (including government and civil society). It also includes…
ABSTRACT
Response to child protection crisis has essentially seen the placement of orphans and other vulnerable children in residential care institutions, particularly children’ homes modelled along Western approaches. Questions have been raised relating to issues such as the extent to which children placed in Save Our Souls (SOS) institutions adjust during community holiday visits, the care they receive from non-relatives, their conformity to societal values and norms and the benefits they realize from the Community Holiday Visit Pogramme. The study reported in this…
This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Committee’s recommendations on the issues relevant to children's care are highlighted, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.
This report from SOS Children’s Villages presents a critical analysis of the Zimbabwe’s compliance with the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children which found “yawning gaps” between the laws and policies in place and the actual experiences of children on the ground. The analysis focused on the following elements of the alternative care system:
- Measures in the country to prevent family separation,
- The various living arrangements for children in alternative care with a focus on: Extended family (kinship care), Community care, Formal foster…