Eliminating Harmful Cultural and Social Practices Affecting Children: Our Collective Responsibility

This report presents findings from consultative meetings, conducted by the Zimbabwe Youth Council, on Harmful Social and Cultural Practices that affect children in Zimbabwe. The study was funded by UNICEF. Although not entirely unique, this study complements the efforts of individuals and organizations working on children’s rights and child protection issues. The current approach is unique because it is a child-driven initiative that seeks to establish a collective strategy for eliminating harmful practices and seeks to lobby for policy and legislative changes through the Junior Parliament of Zimbabwe.

This study addressed two questions:

• What harmful social and cultural practices are present in a given area?
• What can be done to eliminate these harmful practices?

The approach was largely qualitative and participatory. Children, community members, and respective stakeholders were able to articulate their views and feelings regarding the welfare of children and some of the prevalent practices that are harming children.