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Political commitment should be expressed in committing sufficient resources to children
Doreen Mukwena, Child Protection Society (CPS)
Extracted from the Child Advocate Newsletter, Issue No. 3
December 2003

Economic planning and budgeting is already underway for the year 2004. Children are often excluded as nonentities in such exercises. Economics is usually regarded as a child blind profession that demands a reduction in the dependency ratio through shrinking the population of children. Family planning programmes have been vigorously implemented vigorously in Zimbabwe but children continue to represent around 30% of the entire population which is estimated at 5 779 000 million. Of the total of 5 million children, 1.2 million are orphans, having lost both or one parent. 780 000 of these children have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS.

In an environment where the working population between 15 -49 years old is quickly shrinking because of HIV and AIDS, development of future human capital should be prioritised in this current planning process. This human resource -- a key to economic success and growth -- is represented by the 5 million children who should undergo processing in the human resource development cycle. But where are they are now? A total of 3 400 967* children are reported to be in 6 328 schools all over the country

With the unemployment rate estimated at 70% most young people are wasting away in redundancy and frustration at home. A total of 12 000 of them are languishing on the streets. Captains of industry and economists drive past them daily, seeming not to notice this resource or threat that can either make or break an economy.

From a schools survey for budget recommendations from school children, conducted by CPS this year, key priorities were identified. Some of them are as follows:

• Free compulsory primary education must be provided for al children. Failure to go to school by children or denial by parents should become a punishable offence.
• The Basic Education Assistance Module should be expanded to also provide school uniforms and other educational support for children in difficult circumstances
• Birth registration should be a budget priority to facilitate decentralisation and mobile registration
• Access to meaningful health care for children should be a budget priority as evidenced by availability of drugs and the existence of a child focal person to receive unaccompanied children seeking medical attention
• Access to anti-retroviral should be guided by a policy that ensures equity
• The construction of boreholes and Blair toilets should be a budget priority to ensure access to clean water and sanitation
• There should be a budget provision for programmes targeted at children living on the streets

Children view the budget from their own perspective. And it is interesting to note that the budget priorities as defined by school children are designed to ensure their survival and development. Their recommendations can only be ignored at the nation’s peril.

It would also improve access to resources by children if children’s issues were placed under one Ministry with a comprehensive budget allocation for children. Presently issues of child welfare are fragmented among the Ministries of Health and Child Welfare, Public Service and Welfare and that of Education and Culture. This is not a signal that children are a priority in budget considerations, yet national wisdom should be reflected in its ensuring continuity through children.

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