Who will save our children

I find it unbelievable that a government cabinet that boasts of such well educated people can support stupid decisions that endanger the future of not only the country but also future generations. Great leaders are leaders who lead by example and are also people with great vision, who think not only of today but also of tomorrow. Zimbabwe is governed by a selfish people who think nothing of tomorrow and their focus is only on themselves and their families.

When I look at all those in power, they have ensured that their own children have received the best education that money can buy whilst the children of the majority of the population are barely receiving an adequate education. They have safeguarded the future of their children whilst completely ignoring the plight of the children who do not come from well to do families. A vast majority of the Zimbabwean children are living in abject poverty and this is leaving them wide open to sexual exploitation as they fight to survive. It is the government's duty to ensure that our children are protected and that there are social systems in place to ensure that children's needs are put first. Obviously the Zimbabwean government does not see the protection of our children as a priority, because if they did we wouldn't have all these children out on the streets fending for themselves.

According to UNICEF approximately 100 000 of Zimbabwe's 1,3 million orphans survive on their own in child headed households.

In order to put food on the table these children are resorting to prostitution so that they can look after their siblings. Girls as young as 12 are resorting to prostitution just to buy the basics like food. Men as old as their fathers and grandfathers are taking advantage of the vulnerability of these children and offering them money in exchange for sexual favours. The government is watching whilst the innocence of thousands of children's lives are destroyed and what makes me so angry is that all these people watching are themselves parents. These children are ending up with various STI's including HIV but they feel this is a risk that they must take because they have no choice. A generation of the young children and young adults is being slowly wiped out as a result of HIV/AIDS.

If the protection of the rights of children is not a priority then what on earth are the following ministries doing? Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Youth, Indgenisation and Economic Empowerment, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. Surely its a mockery to have all these staffed departments of paid people and yet have thousands of children exploited on a daily basis without any one of them intervening.

I say to our Zimbabwean government save our children. Be people of integrity who uphold the constitution that you swore to uphold when you came into power. If you continue to watch as our children perish and do nothing then the blood of our children and the future generations is on your hands...