Gideon Madzikatidze
Kenyan-based Pan-African organisation, the African Institute for Children Studies has commended the democratic processes taken y the current Zimbabwean government in advancing the rights of children.
As future leaders, children should not be divorced from governance and democratic processes of their respective societies.
Mr Samuel Munyuwiny, the AICS Director has commended the steps taken by Zimbabwe in advocating, promoting and preserving peace as a milestone achievement towards securing the wellness of future generation.
“As the a Pan-African organisation, we need to build and maintain a good foundation with the children who are the future of the country’s development. African countries that consistently witness peaceful democratic transitions help in grooming non-violent leaders of their respective societies. Education on democracy and good governance should constantly be taken seriously in their respective national, local and societal anthems or choruses (such as in schools, healthcare centres and neighbourhood) in a Pan-African environment.
“Children raised in violent societies will always work against development whilst those that were raised in a peaceful society would be alien to violence. If our governments value or adhere to the rule of law and proper governance, there will be economic boom among African countries,” Munyuwiny said.
He called for workshops to educate societies on issues like online children abuse and cyberbullying which affect their mental health. The children’s rights advocate said poverty that has become rife in Africa is as a result of people who view democracy and governance aspects as a westerner’s ideology change African traditions.
He encouraged people to expose African children to their own cultural patterns in line with the Pan-African template and adopt an educational curriculum grounded in indigenous economic transformation pathways.
Mrs Violet Moyo, the AICS Zimbabwe country director urged African governments to address social imbalances that cut across age groups.
“Children should be mentored from grassroots level to advance their cause in economic, cultural, social and religious affairs of their respective countries. Governments should nurture and further the cause of children since they constitute the bulk of our populations. Children should be involved in decision making processes by opening up social platforms which promote networking and exchange programmes that enable them to learn from others through cross breeding of ideas.
“Vulnerable children within the society should be taken as everyone’s responsibility to avoid marginalisation and segregation. African governments should invest in research programmes that advance children’s cause,” Moyo said.
The inaugural meeting saw the appointment of Mr Noah Kutukwa as the organisation’s national board chairperson while Reverend Taylor Nyanhete and Mr Vusumuzi Nkala became board members. AICS is operating in countries like South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya (Headquarters) is considering coming to establish offices in Zimbabwe soon.