Did you know many people in Zimbabwe fear talking about Human Righs as the feel its polical?
polical disinterest zimbabwean youth
We talk a lot about girls’ rights (and rightly so). But while we focus there, too many boys are slipping through the cracks quietly dropping out, working in hazardous jobs, self-medicating, and staying silent because “men do not cry.” This is not a culture war. It is a child rights issue. When our boys fall, our communities pay.
The human rights baseline
Zimbabwe’s Constitution is crystal clear. Section 56 guarantees equality and non-discrimination for everyone. Section 81 sets out children’s rights protection from economic and sexual exploitation, access to education, and the primacy of the child’s best interests in every decision. The Education Amendment Act (2020) also outlaws corporal punishment and bars exclusion for non-payment of fees or pregnancy. These are enforceable rights, not suggestions.
Constitution of Zimbabwe: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Zimbabwe\_2013.pdf
Education Amendment Act, 2020: https://zimparl.gov.zw/download/education-amendment-act-2020
What the numbers say about boys being left out
Finishing primary school: Girls are pulling ahead. Primary completion is 92 percent for girls versus 86 percent for boys an early warning that boys are disengaging sooner.
Source: UNICEF MICS-EAGLE Education at a Glance (Zimbabwe) https://mics.unicef.org/visitors/publications/education-at-a-glance-zimbabwe
Being in school at 17: By age 17, 61 percent of adolescents are out of school and the steep drop-off is intertwined with work, costs and weak re-entry pathways that hit boys hard.
Source: UNICEF MICS-EAGLE Education at a Glance (Zimbabwe) https://mics.unicef.org/visitors/publications/education-at-a-glance-zimbabwe
Work that steals childhood: Child labour remains widespread and is more prevalent among boys often in tobacco, sugarcane, cattle herding, and small-scale mining settings linked to injuries, toxins and school absence.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Zimbabwe https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/zimbabwe
Drugs and risky coping: In recent studies on alcohol and drug use among young people, boys accounted for 59 percent of reported abusers.
Source: UNICEF Zimbabwe Research Brief on Substance Abuse https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/reports]
A rising public health front: Government has now adopted a Multisectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024–2030). It is a step forward, but it must reach boys where they are schools, sports grounds, mine sites, farms, streets.
Source: Government of Zimbabwe, Office of the President and Cabinet https://www.veritaszim.net/node/6276
Boys are over-represented in drop-out, hazardous work and substance use. That is exactly what “left out” looks like in practice.
Why this is happening (and what we must name)
Gender norms cut both ways. “Be tough, do not complain” trains boys to hide distress, skip help and perform strength through risk.
Invisible violence. Boys’ victimization bullying, physical abuse, sexual exploitation exists but is under-reported and under-served. Services and messaging skew heavily female; boys often do not see a door marked “for you.”
Economic pressure. Poverty pushes boys into income-earning roles early (farming seasons, vending, artisanal mining), then school feels optional and reintegration is rare.
Discipline over dignity. Corporal punishment is unlawful, but practice lags. Punitive school cultures drive disengagement instead of resolving root causes.
Source: Education Amendment Act, 2020 https://zimparl.gov.zw/download/education-amendment-act-2020
A practical action plan (use this to brief headteachers, SDCs, CSOs, donors, councillors)
1. Hold the state to its own laws. Train School Development Committees and headteachers on Section 81, Section 56, and the Education Amendment Act. Tie compliance to funding and inspections.
Constitution of Zimbabwe: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Zimbabwe\_2013.pdf]
Education Amendment Act, 2020: https://zimparl.gov.zw/download/education-amendment-act-2020
2. Keep boys in school especially from Grade 7 to Form 2. Trigger early-warning dashboards (attendance dips, repeated punishments, fee arrears), fast-track re-entry after absence and schedule flexibility during peak farm or mining seasons. Use BEAM and local bursaries to remove cost barriers.
Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) Overview: https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/education
3. Disrupt hazardous child labour. Map hotspots (tobacco sheds, gold pits, cattle posts), set community watch groups, and link identified boys to school catch-up and nutrition. Pair with labour inspections and referral to social workers.
U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/zimbabwe
4. Put mental health and substance use services where boys are. Embed male-friendly counselling in schools and youth clubs; stand up peer mentors (coaches, faith leaders, ex-miners). Align with the 2024-2030 Drug Plan for detox, harm reduction and family support.
Government of Zimbabwe, Drug Plan: https://www.veritaszim.net/node/6276
5. Make protection services boy-literate. GBV and child protection hotlines, police Victim Support Units and clinics must explicitly welcome boys; train staff on male disclosure and stigma.
6. Fund what you measure. Require sex and age disaggregated indicators for drop-out, re-entry, substance use, and labour withdrawal in every education and protection grant. Publish quarterly dashboards at district level.
7. Change the story at home. Teach emotional literacy to boys early. Replace “man up” with “speak up.” Normalize help-seeking as strength.
A word to the boy child reading this
You are not a problem to be fixed. You are a child with rights. If school feels hostile, if work is swallowing your time, if drugs look like escape ,speak to a teacher, coach, pastor, auntie, or a clinic counsellor. Your voice is evidence. Your safety is non-negotiable.
Comments
Post a Comment