UNICEF Zimbabwe has supported child protection programs including policy and legal reform processes that resulted in the development of national action plan towards ending child marriages among other initiatives.
In its 2021 Annual Report, UNICEF highlighted some of its achievements in the areas of Child Protection.
“UNICEF’s support to policy and legal reform resulted in the development of the Costed National Action Plan on Ending Child Marriages and the National Disability Policy, the passage of the Data Protection Act and cabinet approval of the Children’s Amendment Bill and Child Justice Bill,” reads part of the report.
UNICEF has also sustained the implementation of the National Case Management System to respond to violence against children through engagement with key stakeholders.
“The placement of case management officers and mentoring of 3,857 community case workers resulted in 97,904 children (56 per cent girls, 14,326 children with disabilities) benefiting from comprehensive child protection services,” further reads the UNICEF report.
According to UNICEF, training of 137 justice actors has enabled the diversion of 501 children (421 boys and 80 girls) from the mainstream justice system.
The development of the child-online safety manual and training of 22 social workers resulted in the improved capacity of the social workforce to manage online violence
“UNICEF’s leadership of the Child Protection Working Group, the training of 280 community case workers and implementation of the Gender-Based Violence in Emergency risk mitigation strategy resulted in 123,529 children (55 per cent girls) accessing critical child protection in emergency (CPiE) services, to respond to multiple hazards,” said UNICEF.
The CPiE services included family tracing, reunification, and appropriate follow-up care for unaccompanied and separated children, emergency shelter, counselling, mental health and psycho-social support, and legal assistance for victims of GBV, and birth registration services.
UNICEF also collaborated with International Labour Organization (ILO), UNDP, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNFPA and UN Women to address Gender Based Violence and harmful practices affecting children.
