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Nokusa Masuku Chronicle Reporter—
THE majority of children in Zimbabwe are subjected to violence and abuse as a means of disciplinary action at home, according to a survey conducted by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) early this year. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2014 said 63 percent of children aged between one and 14 were subjected to violent disciplinary measures, while 36 percent said they had endured physical punishment, with five percent of them saying the physical punishment was severe.

“The survey collected information on the disciplinary methods used with children aged 1-14 years by adults living in the same household. Sixty-three percent of children aged 1-14 were reported to have experienced psychological aggression or physical punishment”, said the research findings.

Fifty-three percent of children who were interviewed said they had suffered psychological aggression, according to the survey which ZimStat said was designed to collect information on a variety of socio-economic and health indicators required to inform the planning, implementation and monitoring of national policies and programmes for the enhancement of the welfare of children and women.

Hendrix Chigiji, manager tourism and cultural statistics, told Chronicle yesterday that most children had indicated that they were sometimes hit with various objects as a form of punishment.

He said most families were using violent means to discipline their children. “From the information that we gathered from children around Zimbabwe, most of them say they are sometimes hit with belts, hairbrushes and sticks”, Chigiji said.
According to section 53 of the constitution, no one should be subjected to cruel, degrading treatment or punishment.

“No person may be subjected to physical or psychological torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” reads part of the constitution.