UPDATE FOR WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR REPORT -

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001475 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR S.HILL DRL/IL FOR TU DANG STATE PASS TO DOL/ILAB FOR TINA MCCARTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ELAB ZI SUBJECT: UPDATE FOR WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR REPORT - ZIMBABWE REF: A. STATE 184972 ¶B. 05 HARARE 01310 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) In 2006, Zimbabwe endured the seventh straight year of economic contraction. According to NGOs and labor groups, the incidence of child labor has continued to increase as a result of declining economic and social conditions, which have made children more susceptible to the exploitative forms of child labor. The GOZ did not promulgate any new child labor laws or regulations in the past year. The ongoing economic crisis severely impeded the government's ability to address its child labor problems. Several international donors, however, provided multi-year funding to support social programs. According to a government study, poverty was the leading reason for children leaving school and seeking work. Post to provide research material to DOL ILAB via pouch. End Summary. -------------- -------------- Poor Economic & Social Conditions Lead to Child Labor -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) The country is now in its seventh year of steep economic decline. According to the IMF, GDP dropped 5 percent in 2006, inflation had reached 2000 percent by year's end, and unemployment in the formal sector was estimated at over 70 percent. According to a December 6 IRIN news article, a government survey found that between 1995 and 2003, more than 63 percent of the rural population, and 53 percent of the urban population, were unable to afford both basic and non-food requirements. Meanwhile, one prominent local economist estimated that over 80 percent of Zimbabweans lived below the poverty datum line (PDL),which calculates the minimum required for a family of six to pay basic expenses. ¶4. (U) NGOs and labor groups consulted indicated that the patterns and concerns identified last year remain. In particular, they noted increasing levels of child labor as a result of the worsening economic conditions. An article in the government-controlled Daily Mirror on November 28 quoted Gertrude Hambira, secretary general of The General Agricultural and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ),as saying that child labor "was rampant on farms," as worker's wages were insufficient to support a family and children were seeking work to help supplement the family's income. GAPWUZ estimated that of the approximately 200 thousand farm workers in the country, 10 percent were children below the age of 16. ¶5. (U) UNICEF reported that Zimbabwe now has the highest number of orphans in the world due to its severe HIV/AIDS pandemic. According to UNICEF, approximately 1.6 million children in Zimbabwe are now orphaned, having lost at least one parent, and the number is growing. A July 4 article in the state-run Daily Mirror quoted Moreblessing Kwangware, spokesperson for Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children, as saying that "as long as (Zimbabwe has) the prevalence of HIV/AIDs and the difficult economic conditions, (it) will always fight a losing war against child labor." -------------- -------------- Government's Safety Net Remains Inadequate and Under-Funded -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) There were no changes to Zimbabwe's child labor laws or enforcement mechanisms in the past year. The GOZ is HARARE 00001475 002 OF 002 making efforts to address children's issues through social programs. However, without resources of its own, it is obliged to seek assistance from other governments, international organizations and NGOs. UNICEF is managing a "pooled funding mechanism" for the "Project of Support," which provides funding to social welfare programs such as the National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (NAP for OVC). To date, the project has received US$6 million (over 4 years) from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA),US$40 million (over 4 years) from the British Department for International Development (DFID),and US$440 thousand from the New Zealand Agency for International Development (AID). Additionally, Germany has pledged US$22 million and the European Commission has pledged $US2 million. USAID gave US$1.6 million for work that supports the NAP for OVC in 2006, and will increase that to US$2.6 million in 2007. ¶7. (U) The International Labor Organization (ILO),UNICEF and International Organization for Migration (IOM) are reportedly meeting in the near future with The Ministry of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare to discuss child labor issues and the implementation of ILO Convention 182, including drafting a list of occupations that qualify as the worst forms of child labor. For its part, the public service ministry continues to provide school fees and books through its Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) and Children in Difficult Circumstances (CDC) programs. Several child welfare advocacy groups, however, reported that BEAM and other government programs focusing on children were still severely under-funded given the level of need, and the government often used access to such programs as a political tool to reward supporters. -------------- Government Study Finally Released -------------- ¶8. (U) In March the CSO finally released the child labor survey completed by the GOZ in December 2004. The survey found that 42 percent (2,683,393) of children ages 5 to 14 in Zimbabwe were involved in economic activity and 16 percent (423,880) of the same age group were involved in economic child labor in 2004. The study also found that 95.8 percent of these children were employed in the agriculture, hunting and fishing sector, with the remainder working as domestic employees or in the hotel and restaurant, manufacturing, construction and mining industries. A quick comparison with the 1999 CSO study shows that child labor is on the increase. ¶9. (U) The CSO study also looked at school attendance. According to the 2004 figures, 81.2 percent of children ages 5 to 17 were attending school and 10.6 percent had left school. The study stated that "primary school was compulsory for every school age child" (Note: but not free) and that it was the duty of the parent to ensure attendance. The most frequent reason given for leaving school was financial constraint. ¶10. (U) According to UNICEF's 2006 State of the World's Children report, Zimbabwe had 80 percent net primary school enrollment in 2004; however, children's welfare activists believe this number to be much lower now due to Operation Restore Order and the resulting displacement of thousands of children from their homes and schools (Reftel B). The Child Protection Society told us that girls were more likely to leave school than boys because girls were more readily employable, especially as domestic workers. ¶11. (U) Post will provide DOL ILAB with a copy of the CSO child labor study and other reference materials via pouch. SCHULTZ