Statement on the commemoration for the Day of the African Child

Platform for Youth Development Trust (PYD) joins Africa and the rest of the world in commemorating the Day of the African Child. This year’s theme: The right of children with disability, the duty to protect, promote and fulfil is well meaning and fits well with the work PYD is undertaking. Children and young people all over Africa have suffered from neglect, abuse while being taken for granted mainly by governments and political leadership. The Day of the African Child provides PYD with a rare opportunity to evaluate what governments, political leadership and local communities are doing for the children and young people.

The 2012 edition of the day of the African child is yet another sad chapter as the welfare of children is still to be a top priority of many African governments. Reports of child rape, kidnapping of pupils coming from schools, child trafficking, and political violence cases have resurfaced in the press. The talks of elections as well as the inconclusive constitutional reform have all contributed to shrink the available space for the young people, while increasing their vulnerability to abuse and patronage.

It should be the duty of society to protect children with disabilities who continue to be victims of abuse. Society has shown a lack of respect for the children with disabilities. African governments and civic groups should work hard to promote the rights of disabled children as society looks failing to accept as equal members.

Like every other child, disabled children have ambitions and goals in life. It is our utmost desire to see society working hard to ensure that everyone helps to fulfil the ambitions of the disabled. Disability is not inability and it should be everyone’s challenge to see to it that those disabled members of society are integrated in all initiatives as this goes a long way in motivating them to work for the fulfilment of their visions and goals.

The constitutional reform process which was expected to be the life blood of youth empowerment is proving to be a dead end. The Copac team has literally failed to produce an agreed draft document, while important national issues are getting PARKED. In addition to having excluded the young people in the committee and outreach processes, the leaked draft is clearly not youth friendly.

As we commemorate the Day of the African Child we wish to reiterate that it is that time young people find their space in all national democratic, social and economic processes. Time has come for young people to start championing for their inclusion in all processes and negotiations that seeks to map and shape the present and future of Zimbabwe.

PYD is glad to commemorate the day while basking in the glory of much added relevance culminating from the developments at the Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant. Having been vocal and poignant against the Green fuel/Macdom behaviour towards the community, the organisation has already been vindicated.

The Chisumbanje investor whose relationship with the government of Zimbabwe was not in any formal and binding had no right to destabilise the livelihoods of the local communities by grabbing their land. The investor has continued to disregard local youths in its activities as they continue to play second fiddle to expatriates and manpower from faraway places.

We receive the message that the government of Zimbabwe has taken over the administration of Green fuel with a sigh of relief. However we are quick to remind the government to quickly resolve the land dispute with the community as well as address the disparity in the awarding employment contracts at the company. Young people in the area have been demonstrating and complaining with no action being taken.

The Zimbabwe government has literally failed to honour the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on health as well as the Abuja declaration that compels governments to target 15% of the national budget on health funding. This has a large bearing on young people who are make up more than 60% of new HIV infections in Africa and world over. 

We commend the government and stakeholders to continue in the fight against HIV/AIDS. While the disease seems manageable in the urban set up due to increased knowledge, this has not been the case with the rural areas. We have cases of this pandemic affecting young people and children the most. Statistics point that around 60% of the affected and infected are young people.

PYD is very much disturbed by the continuous talk of elections without clear evidence of reforms that seeks to guard against violence and rigging. While we acknowledge that the GNU must finally be concluded because of the involved parties’ inherent differences, constitutional reform must be given proper mindset not compromises and concessions that are only detrimental to the progress of our great country.

NB-PYD is commemorating the day of the African Child at Takwirira High School grounds in Chisumbanje, Chipinge from 0900hrs to 1700hrs. The day will start with a cleanup campaign followed by the main activity that will be filled with poems, dramas and entertainment to be provided by selected primary and secondary schools from Chipinge district. The main entertainment shall be provided by Poets for Human Rights as well as Savannah Arts .In addition to the local traditional dances of Muchongoyo, there shall also be a soccer and netball gala pitting six local high schools. Over 1000 members of the community are expected to grace the occasion where Professor Lovemore Madhuku will be the Guest of Honour.



Inserted by the Information department
For more information contact PYD Director
Email: platformtrust@gmail.com ; director.platformtrust@gmail.com
Mobile phone: +263773010331