The families, facing a hostile environment, requested a letter from Chitemere to
relocate to other villages but were denied, labelling them CCC members and
claiming their movement to other villages would negatively impact others.
In other villages, ZPP has noted that traditional leaders are unjustly coercing
beneficiaries of government aid for the vulnerable to participate in
infrastructure rehabilitation programs casually termed ‘food for work’ programs.
These have been noted in Vungu district in Midlands, Masvingo North, Bikita
East, Gutu Central and Mutare North among others. In Ward 10, Mutare North in
Manicaland, kraalhead Phanuel Hama Marange is leading the villagers who
benefit from the social welfare distributed food aid in making damaged roads.
The villagers mainly work from 7 am to 9 am with bare hands and using their
own tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows and hoes. Reports also state that
villagers are fined US$1 should they absent themselves. In a similar incident in
Bikita South in Masvingo, villagers who wanted to benefit from food aid were
assigned duties under the food for work program and worked for two months
but have not received the promised aid.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project notes with concern how the unfair practices and
political bias in food aid for the vulnerable undermines the integrity of citizens
and exacerbates vulnerability among already marginalised communities.
ZPP strongly recommends the Parliament of Zimbabwe to work closely with the
Ministry of Social Welfare to investigate and review the processes of distribution
of food aid to curb political bias and mismanagement.
Unfair labour practices
Incidents have been reported where
foreign investors are ill-treating workers
and community in their areas of
operation.
Rape of underage girls
Other
HUMAN RIGHTS
TRENDS
Water crisis
Education
The alarming prevalence of rape and
sexual exploitation of underage girls in
Zimbabwe constitutes a grave violation of
their fundamental human rights, dignity,
and childhood.
Water crisis gravely compromises the
realization of human rights, particularly
the rights to life, health, and dignity,
emphasizing the urgent need for
equitable and sustainable water
management solutions.
The practice of excluding children from
educational facilities due to non-payment of
fees constitutes a violation of Article 26 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
Article 14 of the African Charter on the Rights
and Welfare of the Child
6