Zimbabwe: Goods Produced With Forced or Exploitive Child

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 17 HARARE 000156 SIPDIS AF/S FOR BWALCH DRL FOR NWILETT, MMITTELHAUSER, AND TDANG EEB FOR BBROOKS-RUBIN DOL/ILAB FOR LEYLA STROTKAMP DRL/ILCSR FOR SARAH MORGAN G/TIP FOR LUIS CDEBACA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB PREL PREF PHUM KTIP ZI SUBJECT: Zimbabwe: Goods Produced With Forced or Exploitive Child Labor REF: STATE 131995 ¶1. This cable provides information relevant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2005, as described reftel, by providing details on goods produced in Zimbabwe with forced labor and exploitive child labor and government efforts to investigate and eliminate forced and exploitive child labor. Reports from the government, the International Labor Organization (ILO),industry, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that follow labor issues indicate that the vast majority of child labor in Zimbabwe is not forced and occurs in a family work setting. -------------- -------------- RESPONSES TO TASKING 1/TVPRA: DIAMONDS AND GOLD -------------- -------------- ¶2. The answers below are keyed in response to tasking 1/TVPRA as posted in paragraph 15 of reftel. -------------- -------------- 1A) Good: Diamonds (NOTE: This section updates information in post's 2009 response. END NOTE.) -------------- -------------- 1B) Type of exploitation found in the production of the good: Forced labor of both adults and children and exploitative child labor. Workers are often forced to dig for or sort diamonds under threat of armed soldiers who organize workers into "syndicates." The workers receive a portion of the diamonds that they mine and are forced to turn over a larger portion to the soldiers. Illegal miners who refuse to work for soldiers' syndicates have been shot, injured, and killed for refusing to work. Since approximately November 2009, two companies have been working in Chiadzwa, Mbada Diamond Mining Company and Canadile Miners. There are reports that both companies have forced their employees to work extended hours, including weekends, while refusing to pay overtime. Mbada and Canadile reportedly call on soldiers to "discipline" their employees with beatings when they are suspected of stealing or do not meet their work duties. 1C) Sources of information and years: Since late 2008 numerous credible NGOs, local chiefs, and villagers surrounding the Marange (also known as Chiadzwa) diamond field in eastern Zimbabwe have reported that both forced labor and exploitative child labor occur in Marange. A local NGO, the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) has issued numerous press releases and reports describing labor violations in Marange. Despite the entrance of Mbada and Canadile in Chiadzwa, there are continued credible reports that soldiers have maintained syndicates and are continuing to force informal miners to dig in addition to threatening employees of Mbada and Canadile. A number of news articles and human rights reports on Marange diamonds are available online at: http://www.diamonds.net/Zimbabwe/. International NGOs including Partnership Africa Canada and Human Rights Watch have conducted independent investigations, verifying these claims. PAC's report "Zimbabwe, Diamonds and the Wrong Side of History" is available online at: http://www.pacweb.org/e/images/stories/docume nts/18_zimbabwe-diamon ds_march09-eng.pdf. In June 2009 Human Rights Watch released a report, "Diamonds in the Rough: Human Rights Abuses in the Marange Diamond Fields of Zimbabwe," which is available online at: http://www.hrw.org/node/83960. On November 24, 2009 the RapNet diamond trading network announced it was banning diamonds from Marange, in part due to ongoing human rights violations: http://www.diamonds.net/PressReleases/PressRe lease.aspx?ArticleID=2 ¶8763. A December 2009 article in Fast Company Magazine included an extensive article describing abuses in Marange and is consistent with reports we have received from other sources in Zimbabwe: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/141/speci al-report-bloody-shame .html. 1D) Narrative: Between late 2006 and approximately November 2009, villagers and children from communities surrounding the alluvial diamond field near Marange in Manicaland abandoned jobs and school and engaged in small-scale diamond mining, primarily by digging. Up until late 2008, this mining was not forced or exploitive. Children and adults alike dug and sold diamonds to local syndicates. HARARE 00000156 002 OF 017 Around October 2008, security forces moved in to allegedly "clean up" the diamond field and expel the illegal miners. NGOs estimate that between October and December at least 200 people were killed in this operation; some bodies were taken to the morgue in nearby Mutare and others were buried in mass and individual graves near the diamond fields. During the take-over by security forces, soldiers and police formed "syndicates" of illegal diggers. According to reports, these syndicates are formed mostly by men, but they also include children -- mostly boys -- as young as 11, who come to Marange of their own will to dig. Schools in the surrounding area are reportedly empty, giving credence to the claims that children prefer mining to school. Forced and exploitive labor occurs when these security forces force the miners to dig until meeting a quota or beat miners severely if they are suspected of stealing or if they are not able to meet the quota. Soldiers also reportedly fire "warning shots" to force the miners, including children, to dig faster. Some workers have fled the area on foot, walking many miles to escape the area. Soldiers reportedly allow the diggers to keep lower-grade industrial diamonds while taking the higher-grade, gem-quality diamonds for themselves. In 2008 NGOs reported that security forces had rounded up people from the streets, taken them to Marange, and forced them to dig under armed guard; however, these reports did not continue in 2009. In November 2009, two recently formed companies, Mbada Diamond Mining and Canadile Miners, began digging in the area, with the approval of the Zimbabwean government. According to NGO reports, soldiers continue to form syndicates of local informal miners who are forced to work under armed guard and under threat of violence in unfenced areas near the Canadile and Mbada sites. In addition, Mbada and Canadile have reportedly forced employees to work overtime without compensation and have not established adequate sanitation facilities (e.g. toilets and running water) at the sites. There have also been consistent reports about women and girls as young as 14 who have been recruited or trafficked to the Marange area to work as prostitutes for the miners and soldiers. Because access to the site is limited, we are unsure how many women and girls might be working there as prostitutes. Because the military has sealed off all roads leading to the area and many people fear for their lives if they disclose activities occurring in Marange, accurate information on the labor situation remains difficult to obtain and nearly impossible to confirm. Four reliable local NGOs have provided this information verbally and two have provided written reports. The Mutare-based NGO the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) has researched and documented human rights and labor rights abuses at the site and issued numerous press releases on Chiadzwa since early 2009. Other local NGOs gathering this data prefer to remain anonymous for their own safety. 1E) Prevalence: The Marange/Chiadzwa diamond field is one of three diamond mining sites in Zimbabwe and is the only site where forced labor and exploitive child labor is believed to exist. There are two other diamond mines in Zimbabwe -- Murowa Mine and River Ranch Mine. Murowa Mine is owned by Murowa Diamonds, a member of the Rio Tinto Group of Companies. River Ranch is the subject of a property dispute; however, the dispute has not led to the lawless situation experienced in Marange/Chiadzwa. 1F) Host government, industry, or NGO efforts specifically designed to combat forced labor of adults or children in production of goods: The inclusive government claims to have regained control of the area and to have peacefully eliminated all illegal activity, including forced and child labor. However, Post continues to receive reports that security forces are beating illegal diamond diggers, sometimes fatally. We do not know to what extent children have been affected or to what extent children and women are being exploited, particularly as victims of rape. -------------- 1A) Good: Gold -------------- 1B) Type of exploitation found in the production of the good: Exploitative child labor (likely to harm the health, safety, or morals of children). 1C) Sources of information and years: As reported in 2009, the HARARE 00000156 003 OF 017 local NGO that follows child labor, Coalition Against Child Labor in Zimbabwe (CACLAZ),verbally reported continued gold panning and mining by children. In 2009, CACLAZ was able to visit sites and gather additional documentation of child labor that was unavailable to us in the report submitted by post in April 2009. 1D) Narrative: Children ages 12-16, mostly boys, work on small-scale gold panning and mining. Near Shurugwi, in Midlands Province, boys often dig for gold in abandoned commercial gold mines at considerable risk to their safety. In other areas, principally near Kwekwe, Bindura, and Mazowe, boys are involved in alluvial gold panning. In both situations, boys work for their parents, another adult in the community or on their own to raise additional funds for their families. Children may also help during the chemical processing of gold, which often includes cyanide and/or mercury. However, there is limited public information on child labor involving use of dangerous chemicals in gold mining. In February 2009, The Guardian newspaper produced a short video documenting informal gold panning in Zimbabwe, including teenagers panning in lieu of attending school: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/fe b/11/zimbabwe-gold-pan ning-starvation-food. 1E) Prevalence: Post does not have reports of forced labor in larger-scale commercial gold mines. 1F) Efforts to combat use of children in production of goods: Because the scale of informal gold mining is unknown and government resources are limited, the government has not demonstrated an effort to combat the use of children in informal gold mining. -------------- --- RESPONSES TO TASKING 2/TDA -------------- --- ¶3. Per reftel, please find below Post's response to questions regarding the worst forms of child labor in Zimbabwe. Responses are keyed in reference to questions posed in paragraph 21. -------------- -------------- 2A) Prevalence and sectoral distribution of exploitive child labor -------------- -------------- 1) In addition to production of goods, as listed above and in our 2009 submission, children are also engaged in exploitive labor as household domestics, street vending, and -- to a limited extent -- selling illegal drugs. Accurate statistics on the sectors in which children work and goods and activities that result from child labor remain difficult to obtain. NGOs report that HIV/AIDS orphans, one in four children in Zimbabwe, are particularly vulnerable. 90 percent of these children are taken in by their extended family, but the family often foregoes paying their school fees in favor of economic activity. Children are involved primarily in agriculture, mining, domestic labor, and the informal economy. Children are engaged in: all aspects of tobacco farming from planting to preparation of leaves for sale; in the forestry regions of the eastern highlands, moving and cutting logs; picking and sorting tea and coffee on plantations and small farms; work on cotton farms; and work as informal miners. In cities, Harare in particular, children commonly work as street vendors and guarding cars. Throughout the country, children -- girls in particular -- work as domestics, often for family members. Information on the extent to which child labor occurred in the production of commercial products was not available, but most believe it is limited. HARARE 00000156 004 OF 017 2) There are no recent publicly available child labor statistics. A child labor survey conducted in October 2008 in a joint effort by the Ministry of Labor, the International Labor Organization, UNICEF, IOM, and UNESCO has not yet been publicly released. -------------- --- 2B) Laws and regulations proscribing the worst forms of child labor -------------- --- 1) No new laws were passed during the reporting period. 2) Civil society leaders do not believe the regulatory framework is adequate to combat exploitive child labor. Specifically, they say that vague language in the Labor Act leaves children vulnerable to exploitive labor and fails to clearly define what is acceptable for children between 13 and 15 versus children between 15 and 18. The criminal code provides adequate penalties to punish and deter violations; however, the government's lack of resources severely impedes its ability to investigate cases and enforce child labor laws. Child labor is punishable by a fine, two years' imprisonment, or both. Child labor is addressed under the Labor Act, which declares a child between the ages of 13 and 15 can work as an apprentice or if the work is an integral part of (or in conjunction with) "a course of training or technical or vocational education." It is also addressed in the Children's Act which provides for the protection, welfare, and supervision of children; the act was amended to take into consideration the worst forms of child labor and makes it an offense to exploit or abuse children in the process of involvement in child work. The status of children between 15 and 18 years of age is not directly addressed, but 15 years of age is still the minimum for light work, work other than apprenticeship, or work associated with vocational education. -- The law prohibits compulsory or forced labor, including by children, but provides exceptions in cases where such labor is required from a member of a disciplined force, the national youth service, or parents. -- The Labor Act further states that no person under 18 shall perform any work likely to jeopardize that person's health, safety, or morals. -- The constitution and law prohibit forced or compulsory labor, including by children, with the exception of working for parents or the national youth service; however, there were reports that such practices occurred. No law specifically prohibits trafficking in persons. However, the law does prohibit various types of sexual exploitation, including the transportation of individuals across the border for sexual purposes and procuring individuals for prostitution either inside Zimbabwe or internationally. It is a crime under the Criminal Code to transport persons across the border for sex. Traffickers also can be prosecuted under other legislation such as immigration and abduction laws. -- Forced labor is punishable by a fine, two years' imprisonment, or both. The law provides penalties of a fine and up to two years of imprisonment for those convicted of procuring individuals for prostitution, and it provides a stronger penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment in cases involving the procurement of children under 10. -- Per the National Service Act, the minimum age for recruitment HARARE 00000156 005 OF 017 for national or military service is 18 years of age. The minimum age for joining the national youth service is 16 years of age. In 2003 the government announced its intention to make national service compulsory for all students, starting in primary school, but there were no reports that the government implemented this requirement. -- On October 1, 2007, the Ministry of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Labor Organization (ILO),United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),International Organization for Migration (IOM),and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to collaborate on a two-phased program on Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor. The program is expected to address child labor issues and the implementation of ILO Convention 182, including identifying the worst forms of child labor and implementing activities pertaining to the prevention of child labor and protection of working children. The first phase of the project to define the worst forms of child labor in the Zimbabwe context was expected to start in December 2007, with the results expected in early 2008. However, at the end of 2009, the results of the report were not yet publicly available. Although these results were expected to be available by June 2009, the report remains unpublished for unclear reasons. These results of the evaluation are to be used to develop an action plan in Phase 2. -------------- -------------- 2C, Section I: Institutions and mechanisms for enforcement: hazardous child labor -------------- -------------- 1) What agency or agencies was/were responsible for enforcement of laws relating to hazardous child labor? The Ministry of Labor's Department of Social Welfare is responsible for enforcement of labor laws and the Ministry of Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs oversees the labor courts. The Zimbabwe Republic Police are responsible for criminal law enforcement. 2) If multiple agencies were responsible for enforcement, were there mechanisms for exchanging information? Assess their effectiveness. Ministries appear to be relatively ineffective with exchanging information with regards to hazardous child labor. Civil society organizations were unaware of cooperation between the ministries. The government, across all law enforcement and regulatory agencies, lacks the necessary resources to adequately conduct inspections and investigations and to prosecute violations of child labor laws. 3) Did the country maintain a mechanism for making complaints about hazardous child labor violations? If so, how many complaints were received in the reporting period? There are no formalized mechanisms for making complaints about hazardous child labor. If someone wanted to complain, he or she would have to seek a meeting with an official in the Ministry of Labor. The Ministry did not keep detailed records of child labor complaints. 4) What amount of funding was provided to agencies responsible for HARARE 00000156 006 OF 017 inspections? Was this amount adequate? Did inspectors have sufficient office facilities, transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out inspections? The 2009 budget for the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare was USD 39.2 million, of which just USD 446,000 was devoted to labor. The vast majority of the budget was spent on social welfare programs. Within labor, the government devoted a total of USD 124,000 to wages. It was not clear how much, if any, was dedicated to child labor. The government did not devote adequate resources to carry out inspections of exploitive child labor. 5) How many inspectors did the government employ? Was the number of inspectors adequate? Unfortunately we were unable to obtain a meeting with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare officials that handle child labor issues. Consequently, we were unable to obtain detailed information on child labor inspections, investigations, or prosecutions. NGOs and union officials, however, told us that they are unaware of any labor investigations being conducted in recent years. By way of comparison, one union official told us that there are only two safety inspectors in all of Zimbabwe. According to NGOs, unions, and international organizations based in Harare, there are no police, law enforcement officials, or inspectors dedicated to specifically address exploitive child labor. The Coalition Against Child Labor in Zimbabwe (CACLAZ) is advocating that the government allocate law enforcement resources specifically to address child labor. 6) How many inspections involving child labor were carried out? We are unaware of any investigations or arrests of persons for child labor-related violations. 7) How many children were removed/assisted as a result of inspections? Were these children actually provided or referred for services as a result? We are unaware of any children who were removed or assisted as a result of inspections of hazardous child labor. 8) How many child labor cases or prosecutions were opened? We are unaware of any child labor cases or prosecutions for hazardous child labor. 9) How many child labor cases were closed or resolved? We are unaware of any child labor cases that were closed or resolved. 10) How many violations were found or "convictions" reached? We are unaware of any violations or convictions of exploitive child labor. HARARE 00000156 007 OF 017 11) What is the average length of time it took to resolve child labor cases? Because we could not meet with government officials, we do not have information regarding the average length of time it took to resolve child labor cases. 12) In cases in which violations were found, were penalties actually applied, either through fines paid or jail sentences served? Did such sentences meet penalties established in the law? Unknown. 13) Did the experience regarding questions 7 through 10 reflect a commitment to combat hazardous child labor? Unfortunately, the government does not demonstrate significant commitment to combat hazardous child labor. However, there is the will within the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare to dedicate more time and attention to the issue. 14) Did government offer any training for investigators or others responsible for enforcement? If so, what (if any) impact have these trainings had? No, government did not have the staff or capacity to provide investigators with training specific for either hazardous or forced child labor. According to the ILO, the Ministry of Labor has requested additional training specifically regarding child labor for its investigators and labor court officials. Funding to provide such training has not yet been found. -------------- -------------- 2C, Section II: Institutions and mechanisms for enforcement: exploitive child labor -------------- -------------- 1) What agency or agencies was/were responsible for enforcement of laws relating to exploitive child labor? The Ministry of Labor's Department of Social Welfare is responsible for enforcement of labor laws and the Ministry of Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs oversees the labor courts. The Zimbabwe Republic Police are responsible for criminal law enforcement. 2) If multiple agencies were responsible for enforcement, were there mechanisms for exchanging information? Assess their effectiveness. Ministries appear to be relatively ineffective with exchanging information with regards to exploitive child labor. Civil society organizations were unaware of tangible signs of cooperation between HARARE 00000156 008 OF 017 the ministries aside from a steering committee. The government, across all law enforcement and regulatory agencies, lacks the necessary resources to adequately conduct inspections and investigations and to prosecute violations of child labor laws. 3) Did the country maintain a mechanism for making complaints about exploitive child labor violations? If so, how many complaints were received in the reporting period? There are no formalized mechanisms for making complaints about exploitive child labor. If someone wanted to complain, he or she would have to seek a meeting with an official in the Ministry of Labor. The Ministry did not keep detailed records of child labor complaints separately from other labor complaints. 4) What amount of funding was provided to agencies responsible for inspections? Was this amount adequate? Did inspectors have sufficient office facilities, transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out inspections? See the response to number 4 in question 2C, Section I. 5) How many inspectors did the government employ? Was the number of inspectors adequate? See the response to number 5 in question 2C, Section I. 6) How many inspections involving child labor were carried out? See the response to number 6 in question 2C, Section I. 7) How many children were removed/assisted as a result of inspections? Were these children actually provided or referred for services as a result? See the response to number 7 in question 2C, Section I. 8) How many child labor cases or prosecutions were opened? See the response to number 8 in question 2C, Section I. 9) How many child labor cases were closed or resolved? See the response to number 9 in question 2C, Section I. 10) How many violations were found or "convictions" reached? See the response to number 10 in question 2C, Section I. HARARE 00000156 009 OF 017 11) What is the average length of time it took to resolve child labor cases? See the response to number 11 in question 2C, Section I. 12) In cases in which violations were found, were penalties actually applied, either through fines paid or jail sentences served? Did such sentences meet penalties established in the law? Not applicable. 13) Did the experience regarding questions 7 through 10 reflect a commitment to combat exploitive child labor? The government has a steering committee regarding child labor that is led by the Ministry of Labor. Unfortunately, due to a widespread lack of government resources, the steering committee has not been able to expand its efforts beyond the 2008 child labor report that is still pending publication. Until the report is made public and a broader audience can scrutinize the results, it is unlikely that the government will be able to demonstrate action against exploitive child labor. 14) Did government offer any training for investigators or others responsible for enforcement? If so, what (if any) impact have these trainings had? No, government did not have the staff or capacity to provide investigators with training specific for either hazardous or forced child labor. -------------- -------------- 2D, Section I: Institutional Mechanisms for Effective Enforcement of Child Trafficking -------------- -------------- 1) Did the country have agencies or personnel dedicated to enforcement of child trafficking? How many investigators/social workers/dedicated police officers did the government employ to conduct investigations? If there were no dedicated agencies or personnel, provide an estimate for the number of people who were responsible for such investigations. Was the number of investigators adequate? Because child trafficking is not a crime, there are no investigators, social workers, or police officers dedicated to investigating child trafficking. 2) How much funding was provided to agencies responsible for investigating child trafficking? Was this amount adequate? Did investigators have sufficient office facilities, transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out investigations? Because child trafficking is not a crime, there are no funds HARARE 00000156 010 OF 017 dedicated to investigate child trafficking. 3) Did the country maintain a hotline or other mechanism for reporting child trafficking? If so, how many complaints were received in the reporting period? The government does not maintain a hotline for reports of child trafficking, CSEC, or children in illicit activities. A local NGO, Oasis Zimbabwe, manages an anti-trafficking hotline that is funded by IOM. Unfortunately, repeated problems with the phone line during the year prevented the hotline from functioning. Another NGO, Childline, launched a free 24-hour hotline in November 2009. Childline is a well-established NGO throughout Zimbabwe and is mostly known for responding to cases of child abuse, although callers could report other issues. Childline was unable to provide us with statistics of calls received in 2009. Unfortunately, Childline's hotline has also experienced problems in its first few months of operation. 4) How many investigations were opened in regard to child trafficking? Because child trafficking is not a crime under Zimbabwean law, there were no investigations opened in regard to child trafficking. 5) How many children were rescued as a result? None. 6) How many child trafficking arrests were made or other kinds of prosecutions carried out? None, because child trafficking is not a crime under Zimbabwean law. 7) How many child trafficking cases were closed or resolved? None, because child trafficking is not a crime under Zimbabwean law. 8) How many child trafficking convictions? None, because child trafficking is not a crime under Zimbabwean law. 9) Did sentences imposed meet standards established in the legal framework? Not applicable. 10) Were sentences imposed actually served? HARARE 00000156 011 OF 017 Not applicable. 11) What is the average length of time it takes to resolve cases of child trafficking? Not applicable. 12) Did the government offer any training for investigators or others responsible for enforcement of child trafficking? Government officials attended trainings on trafficking sponsored and conducted by the International Office for Migration. The government did not offer its own training on trafficking, primarily because of a lack of capacity and a lack of legal mandate. Government officials, however, agree that child trafficking is an issue and that they need more training and sensitization on the issue. 13) If the country experienced armed conflict during the reporting period or in the recent past involving use of child soldiers, what actions were taken to penalize those responsible? During the 2008 elections, groups of "ZANU-PF youths" formed militias that participated widely in violence, torture, and other human rights abuses. These groups were informal and there are no known records of members or their ages. While some community members reported to NGOs in numerous communities across Zimbabwe that they knew members of the militia who were under 18, there is no documentary evidence of this. Since the inclusive government was formed in February 2009, these youth militias have been relatively inactive. -------------- -------------- 2D, Section II: Institutional Mechanisms for Effective Enforcement of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) -------------- -------------- 1) Did the country have agencies or personnel dedicated to enforcement of CSEC? How many investigators/social workers/dedicated police officers did the government employ to conduct investigations? If there were no dedicated agencies or personnel, provide an estimate for the number of people who were responsible for such investigations. Was the number of investigators adequate? There were no officers specifically designated for enforcement of CSEC. Police were not able to provide an estimate of how many investigators were responsible for such investigations. 2) How much funding was provided to agencies responsible for investigating child CSEC? Was this amount adequate? Did investigators have sufficient office facilities, transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out investigations? HARARE 00000156 012 OF 017 No funding was dedicated to investigations of CSEC. According to civil society organizations that operate in border towns such as Beitbridge, there is "rampant" child prostitution involving girls as young as 10 in communities. Police are reportedly aware that such prostitution rings and brothels that are exploiting children exist but have not made appropriate arrests or investigations. 3) Did the country maintain a hotline or other mechanism for reporting CSEC? If so, how many complaints were received in the reporting period? The government does not maintain a hotline for reports of child trafficking, CSEC, or children in illicit activities. The NGO, Childline, launched a free 24-hour hotline in November 2009. Childline is a well-established NGO throughout Zimbabwe and is mostly known for responding to cases of child abuse, although callers could report other issues. Childline was unable to provide us with statistics of calls received in 2009. Unfortunately, Childline's hotline experienced problems in its first few months of operation. 4) How many investigations were opened in regard to CSEC? Post could not find any evidence of cases opened in regard to CSEC. 5) How many children were rescued as a result? None. 6) How many CSEC arrests were made or other kinds of prosecutions carried out? Post could not find any evidence of CSEC arrests of prosecutions. 7) How many CSEC cases were closed or resolved? Post could not find any evidence of CSEC cases closed or resolved. 8) How many CSEC convictions? Post could not find any evidence of any CSEC convictions 9) Did sentences imposed meet standards established in the legal framework? Not applicable 10) Were sentences imposed actually served? HARARE 00000156 013 OF 017 Not applicable. 11) What is the average length of time it takes to resolve cases of CSEC? Unknown. 12) Did the government offer any training for investigators or others responsible for enforcement of CSEC? Government officials attended trainings on trafficking sponsored and conducted by the International Office for Migration. The government did not offer its own training on CSEC, primarily because of a pervasive belief that CSEC is not a problem in Zimbabwe. NGOs have told us of isolated cases of children, particularly orphans, working in prostitution in urban areas and near some border crossings. However, information remains limited. Child prostitution is discussed in the Ministry of Labor's 2008 report and is clearly an area the government knows needs to be addressed. 13) If the country experienced armed conflict during the reporting period or in the recent past involving use of child soldiers, what actions were taken to penalize those responsible? See 2D, Section I, question 13. -------------- -------------- 2D, Section III: Institutional Mechanisms for Effective Enforcement of Use of Children in Illicit Activities -------------- -------------- 1) Did the country have agencies or personnel dedicated to enforcement of use of children in illicit activities? How many investigators/social workers/dedicated police officers did the government employ to conduct investigations? If there were no dedicated agencies or personnel, provide an estimate for the number of people who were responsible for such investigations. Was the number of investigators adequate? There are no investigators, social workers, or police officers dedicated specifically to investigate use of children in illicit activities. Unpublished research data suggests that most children involved in illicit activities (mostly selling marijuana and other volatile substances, such as glue) are orphans who are living on the streets. Children living on the streets are often treated as a nuisance rather than victims. 2) How much funding was provided to agencies responsible for investigating use of children in illicit activities? Was this amount adequate? Did investigators have sufficient office facilities, transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out investigations? There were no funds dedicated specifically to investigate use of HARARE 00000156 014 OF 017 children in illicit activities. 3) Did the country maintain a hotline or other mechanism for reporting use of children in illicit activities? If so, how many complaints were received in the reporting period? The government does not maintain a hotline for reports of child trafficking, CSEC, or children in illicit activities. A local NGO, Childline, launched a free 24-hour hotline in November 2009. Childline is a well-established NGO throughout Zimbabwe and is mostly known for responding to cases of child abuse, although callers could report other issues. Childline was unable to provide us with statistics of calls received in 2009. Unfortunately, Childline's hotline experienced problems in its first few months of operation. 4) How many investigations were opened in regard to use of children in illicit activities? Post could not find any evidence of investigations opened of use of children in illicit activities. 5) How many children were rescued as a result? None. 6) How many use of children in illicit activities arrests were made or other kinds of prosecutions carried out? Post could not find any evidence of arrests or prosecutions of use of children in illicit activities. 7) How many use of children in illicit activities cases were closed or resolved? Post could not find any evidence of cases closed or resolved of use of children in illicit activities. 8) How many use of children in illicit activities convictions? Post could not find any evidence of convictions of use of children in illicit activities. 9) Did sentences imposed meet standards established in the legal framework? Not applicable. 10) Were sentences imposed actually served? HARARE 00000156 015 OF 017 Not applicable. 11) What is the average length of time it takes to resolve cases of use of children in illicit activities? Not applicable. 12) Did the government offer any training for investigators or others responsible for enforcement of use of children in illicit activities? Government officials attended trainings on trafficking sponsored and conducted by the International Office for Migration. The government did not offer its own training on use of children in illicit activities, primarily because of a lack of resources coupled with a pervasive belief that it is not a problem in Zimbabwe. NGOs have told us of isolated cases of children, particularly orphans, living on the streets in urban areas and near some border crossings where they are involved in gambling and selling drugs. However, information remains limited. Children selling drugs, primarily marijuana, is discussed in the Ministry of Labor's 2008 report and is clearly an area the government knows needs to be addressed. 13) If the country experienced armed conflict during the reporting period or in the recent past involving use of child soldiers, what actions were taken to penalize those responsible? See 2D, Section I, question 13. -------------- -------------- 2E) Government Policies on Child Labor -------------- -------------- 1) Despite government intentions to establish an action plan for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor in early 2008, the results of the comprehensive survey to drive the plan were still not public in February 2010. However, a steering committee on child labor that included representatives from the Ministries of Labor, Home Affairs (police),Justice, and Education was in the process of leading the report through the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) clearance process. The Minister of Labor, Paurina Mpariwa, has expressed a strong interest in addressing child labor and in seeking donor assistance to improve the capacity of Ministry of Labor officials to investigate and stop child labor. 2) The government does incorporate child labor specifically as an issue to be addressed in poverty reduction, educational, or other social policies and programs. For instance, the Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF) 2007-2011, released in 2006, includes child labor as a specific indicator in improving retention rates at all levels of the education system. The framework was formulated by the government and the United Nations Country Team as a strategic-planning instrument that identifies national priorities for the GOZ. The planning process focused on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A copy of the framework can be found at: http://www.undp.org.zw/images/stories/Docs/ZU NDAF.pdf. 3) Because of ongoing economic hardship, the government has not HARARE 00000156 016 OF 017 allocated adequate funds towards implementation of its child labor reduction policy. Local NGOs report that the government has not adequately prioritized child protection issues and social services in favor of other priorities like defense and international travel for government officials. 4) The government provided non-monetary support to child labor plans, particularly in the form of the inter-ministerial steering committee and requests for capacity building from ILO to improve the ability of government officials to enforce child labor legislation. Zimbabwe has also ratified international conventions on child labor. 5) Unions and NGOs report that child labor remains problematic and that minimal progress was made toward eliminating the worst forms of child labor in the past year. The government's specific effort to address the problem of the worst forms of child labor is focused on a collaborative two-phased program. Given that the survey results have still not been released, no concrete steps have been taken to develop or implement an action plan. Without additional resources and assistance, it is unlikely that the government will be able to demonstrate significant and effective progress towards eliminating exploitive child labor. 6) Government officials from the Ministries of Labor, Justice, Education, and Home Affairs, as well as the police (ZRP), participated in the government's inter-ministerial steering committee on child labor. The committee continued to meet on a regular basis, although its effectiveness was limited. 7) The government has not signed bilateral, regional, or international agreements to combat human trafficking. -------------- 2F) Social Programs to Eliminate or Prevent Child Labor -------------- 1) The government did not implement any programs specifically to address the worst forms of child labor. However, there is a draft program that the government would like help in implementing. After the child labor survey is released, the government plans to seek assistance towards addressing child labor, most of which occurs to supplement household incomes. 2) After years of collapse, including a 2008 school year which was a complete loss in public education, school attendance and reliability improved dramatically in 2009. As the government continues to adjust to a budget in U.S. dollars, social programs remain inadequately funded, and there are no specific government-run programs that consciously address mitigation of child labor. Donor-funded school feeding programs, enhancements to education, and other economic improvements likely served to reduce child labor during 2009, but there was no concrete data. 3) The government did not provide funding for the programs described in question 2E-2. 4) Yes, the government allowed donors to conduct school feeding programs and to address poverty reduction in communities. HARARE 00000156 017 OF 017 -------------- 2G) Continual Progress -------------- 1) In the current inclusive government, different divisions have different levels of commitment to and interest in combating child labor. Within the police and law enforcement, we detect a belief that human trafficking, child labor, and exploitation of children are not major problems in Zimbabwe. Officers are often quick to point the finger to such abuses in other countries, like South Africa, without critically examining if there is a problem domestically. With regard to trafficking, because there is no law, there are no cases, so it is easy for officers to claim that it is not a problem. Documentation of crime statistics is a serious problem within law enforcement in Zimbabwe, as most crimes are recorded on paper and little data is entered into computer databases. This lack of data helps perpetuate the belief that these activities don't exist or are not problematic. Other ministries, such as Labor and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Education, have demonstrated a greater concern for and awareness of child labor and trafficking as problems. However, none of the ministries have adequate resources to take on these issues. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MLSW) has demonstrated a commitment to addressing child labor. Notably, a MLSW staffer recently spent a year on detail to the local International Labor Organization (ILO) office in Harare where she focused on child labor. She is now working again at the MLSW. Her detail at ILO was an intentional effort to build her capacity to deal with child labor issues. While additional efforts are needed, it is an important positive sign that the MLSW is aware of the need to take on child labor in a more comprehensive fashion. There is further opportunity for progress when the child labor survey is released and the Ministry is able to seek additional resources from donors to take on specific aspects of child labor in Zimbabwe. Dhanani