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Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
MATABELELAND South Province has recorded a rise in reported cases of child abuse this year compared to last year.
Statistics from the National Aids Council (NAC) reveal that between January and March this year, a total of 298 children were subjected to sexual, physical and emotional abuse while the same number of cases were recorded for the whole of last year.

Statistics show that in the first quarter of last year, 97 child abuse cases were reported while the last quarter had 70 cases.

In the second and third quarter of last year, 39 and 92 cases were recorded respectively.

NAC provincial aids coordinator, Isaiah Abureni attributed the increase in reported cases to awareness among communities of children’s rights.

He said in the past there were few child abuse cases reported because people did not know their rights, hence the low numbers recorded.

“This shows that more and more people are aware of their rights now unlike in the past where there were some abuses that went unreported. This was probably due to cultural practices.

“However, we still have a lot to do to sensitise our communities so that all child abuse cases are reported,” said Abureni at a recent meeting in Gwanda Town.

Traditional leaders in the province have expressed concern over the sexual abuse of children, especially by herdsmen. Chiefs were also worried by the rise of cases of child pregnancies in their areas.

Abureni said under the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme, 847 children were receiving psycho-social support/counseling in the first quarter of this year whereas 4,109 were receiving school related assistance.