Parliament has stepped up its oversight of the welfare of children living in institutional care, with legislators convening a joint session to assess child protection systems and the standards of care in children’s homes across the country.
In a statement, issued yesterday, Parliament of Zimbabwe said the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, working together with the Thematic Committee on Human Rights, held a joint session with ministry officials as part of efforts to evaluate conditions and standards of care in institutions that accommodate vulnerable children.
“The Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, together with the Thematic Committee on Human Rights, received oral evidence from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare as part of their oversight on the rights of children in children’s homes,” said Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Parliament said the engagement forms part of its constitutional mandate to ensure that Government ministries and related institutions uphold the rights of children and operate in line with existing laws and policies.
“The engagement is significant in informing policy and legislative reforms aimed at strengthening child protection systems and improving standards of care in institutional settings,” said Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Legislators noted that the hearings are also meant to evaluate whether the current legal and administrative frameworks governing children’s homes are adequate to safeguard the welfare, dignity and development of minors placed under institutional care.
“It also provides a platform to assess existing frameworks and ensure alignment with national and international child rights obligations,” Parliament noted.
The inquiry comes at a time when Government is strengthening social protection programmes aimed at safeguarding vulnerable children, including orphans and minors placed under institutional care due to difficult family circumstances.
