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CPS adopts rights-based approach in its programming
Lainet Mawire, Child Protection Society (CPS)
Extracted from the Child Advocate Newsletter, Issue No. 3
December 2003

Child Protection Society (CPS) has reaffirmed its role as a national child rights advocacy organisation by reorienting its programmes to specifically target the fulfilment of the rights of children. Over the past two years, CPS has deliberately shifted from the needs- based approach to a human rights-based approach and development in all its programming.

According to Doreen Mukwena, Director of CPS, the organisation’s major focus now is to influence policy and practice by employing strategies such as advocacy and lobbying, policy dialogue, research and information dissemination.

She said CPS has realised that there is a need to raise awareness and create an ethos of respect for the rights of the child in Zimbabwe in order to meet the child’s basic developmental rights. Through advocacy, Mukwena, believes that the concept of childhood in Zimbabwe should be redefined to adopt views that empower children as rights holders.

The human rights-based approach to programming now guides the implementation of all CPS’ programmes in matters of child protection, birth registration and orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. The organisation has moved away from just being a welfare organisation in keeping with the realisation that the development of a child should not be considered as a simple matter of charity but a right.

Simon Mwanza of SAHRIT affirms the rights based approach as a tool which development organisations, institutions and governments can effectively use to address interests of various target groups particularly children. There is a clear distinction between charity on one hand, and rights on the other. When child development is described as a right it means that the child holds a claim or a legal entitlement and all carers from families, communities and state are bound by a corresponding duty or legal obligation.

CPS views children from the human rights approach which recognises that the child is a citizen with rights. The opinion of a child must therefore always be taken into consideration in all matters affecting the child. Respecting the views of the child is an empowering process.

Monica Gwitira, Child Protection Officer with UNICEF believes that the strength in the approach is that it places people at the centre of development. "It gives room to communities and children to come up with affective, acceptable, friendly and lasting development strategies," she said.

The rights-based approach does not place the obligation on duty bearers only but most importantly emphasises the responsibilities of the children as rights holders to play a pivotal role in determining their destiny, said Mukwena. Whereas it is the obligation of the Zimbabwean government to provide adequate health facilities, it is the communities and the children that have the responsibility to see that these facilities are fully utilised.

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