by BERNARD CHIKETO
A DECADE after launching its national case management system for child welfare, Zimbabwe is convening a high-level conference to confront what officials describe as a “solemn call to action” against persistent threats facing the country’s youngest citizens.
The National Child Protection Conference, running from 7 to 10 July in Bulawayo, brings together government ministers, UN agencies, regional delegates and children themselves to address what data shows remains a deeply troubling landscape for Zimbabwean children.
Despite policy reforms and expanded protection systems, 64 per cent of children still experience violent discipline, 43 per cent of those under five remain unregistered, and 21.2 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15 to 18 are affected by child marriage, according to recent figures.
“Every child deserves to grow up safe, nurtured and empowered to reach their full potential,” said Edgar Moyo, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, in remarks released ahead of the conference. “We will mobilise resources, knowledge and partnerships so that no child in Zimbabwe is left unprotected, unsupported or unheard.”
The conference comes as emerging threats compound longstanding vulnerabilities. Technology-facilitated abuse, migration-related risks and climate change have intensified pressures on children, while systemic gaps in financing, workforce capacity and data collection continue to hamper sector-wide progress, according to organisers.
Sweden, which supports the conference alongside UNICEF, has encouraged Zimbabwe’s progress over the past decade but warned that more must be done.
“The challenges facing children today remind us that more must be done,” said Per Lindgarde, Sweden’s ambassador to Zimbabwe.
A central feature of the four-day gathering will be a High-Level Dialogue examining sustainable financing for child protection priorities, positioning child welfare not merely as a social obligation but as a strategic investment in human capital and national development.
Regional delegations from Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia and South Africa are expected to share practical experiences on financing, digital civil registration, alternative care reform, and online safety.
Field visits will demonstrate integrated service delivery including child-friendly justice services and community-based protection programmes.
The conference is expected to produce a National Child Protection Outcome Statement, financing pledges and a monitoring roadmap. It follows Cabinet’s approval in June of the Zimbabwe National Child Online Protection Policy 2026-2030, complementing the recently finalised National Action Plan for Children covering the same period.
Together, officials say, these frameworks will guide efforts to ensure children are safe both offline and online — though the scale of the challenge suggests implementation will prove as critical as ambition.
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