Tag: UNICEF

Zimbabwe Underground Water Could Run Dry In Our Lifetime

Michael Gwarisa

UNREGULATED pumping and extraction of ground water for both domestic and industrial purposes is putting a strain of Zimbabwe’s underground water, with indications that the resource could deplete in the foreseeable future, water experts have warned. By Michael Gwarisa The warning comes in the wake of increased extraction of underground water due to unplanned urbanization which has resulted in the sprouting of new settlements where land developers and city authorities are settling people in areas where there are no basic amenities such as piped running water. Renowned Hydrologist with the…

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Feli Nandi uses music to fight early child marriages

Michael Gwarisa

HAVING been married when she was around the age of 18 herself, songstress Felistas “Feli Nandi” Chipendo believes the world can be a better place if and when the girl child is allowed to be in school longer and if she is not rushed into marriage for any reason. By Michael Gwarisa According to UNICEF data, child marriage remains widespread in Zimbabwe and one woman out of every three was married before the age of 18. In Zimbabwe, some of the major drivers of child marriages include poverty, lack of…

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Climate Actions need to be Child-Centered

Michael Gwarisa

Ahead of the COP27, Government of Zimbabwe and UNICEF hosted a high-level dialogue to take stock of the climate change challenges and concluded with a strong call for children to be at the heart of climate change strategies and actions. Harare, 31 October 2022 – Ahead of the (27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC) COP27, which will be held from 6 to 18 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), the Ministry of Environment, Tourism, Climate & Hospitality Industry and UNICEF…

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Regional Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Symposium Kicks-off In Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

OVER 20 African countries are gathered in the resort town of Victoria Falls to deliberate on issues around access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for young people with the aim of finding a lasting solution to teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and HIV infections in East and Southern Africa. By Michael Gwarisa in Victoria Falls The three day regional symposium which will run up to Thursday, October 13, 2022  has been organized by the  UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO under the banner of the Joint UN Regional 2gether 4…

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Chipinge Broken Homes and Blended Families Give Rise Mental Health challenges in adolescents and children

Michael Gwarisa

WHEN his parents divorced in 2016, Panashe Dzvivu (19) from Chipinge urban, was doing form three and preparing to write his Ordinary level (O level) examinations the following year. Following the divorce, his father went into neighbouring South Africa and never looked back, leaving him under the custody of his unemployed mother. After some time, he was forced to drop out of school due to non-payment of school fees. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Chipinge Panashe was forced to juggle between school and a part welding job to pay for…

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Economic Induced Absenteeism Weighs Heavily On the Mental Health of Rural Manicaland School Children

Michael Gwarisa

For Alice Nyatsanga (16), school days are not something to cherish as they usually involve cat and mouse games with school authorities due to non-payment of school fees. To raise money for tuition, stationery and food, Alice is forced to join her grandmother in doing casual work in people’s fields as well as sell firewood by the road side along the busy Mutare/Masvingo Highway. By Michael Gwarisa in  Manicaland Province “At times, when we open schools, it does not matter lessons would have started, I have to abandon school for…

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Number of COVID-19 orphans nears 150,000 in South Africa

Healthtimes

UNICEF South Africa calls for a whole of society response to protect, nurture and care for the most vulnerable children. PRETORIA, 05 September 2022 – COVID-19 associated deaths have left nearly 150,000 children as orphans, according to latest data modelling from Imperial College London, as part of the Global Reference Group for Children Affected by COVID-19: Joint Estimates and Action. That number rises to 207,400 when including children who have lost their primary or secondary caregiver, such as a grandparent. The tragic figures reiterate the importance of a holistic and…

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UNICEF is concerned about the impact of measles outbreak

Healthtimes

UNICEF is deeply concerned with the numbers of cases and deaths among children due to a measles outbreak in Zimbabwe. By Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Zimbabwe On 10 April 2022, Mutasa District in Manicaland Province was the first district to report a measles outbreak.  According to the latest data shared by the Government of Zimbabwe through the weekly Disease Surveillance System, a total of 6034 suspected cases, 4266 recoveries and 685 deaths have so far been recorded since the onset of the outbreak. Manicaland Province has the highest…

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Half of health care facilities globally lack basic hygiene services – WHO, UNICEF

Healthtimes

Newly established global estimate on hygiene reveals the risk of disease spread and infections to patients and health care providers Half of health care facilities worldwide lack basic hygiene services with water and soap or alcohol-based hand rub where patients receive care and at toilets in these facilities, according to the latest Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report by WHO and UNICEF. Around 3.85 billion people use these facilities, putting them at greater risk of infection, including 688 million people who receive care at facilities with no hygiene services at all.…

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SADC Youth Helpline 393 Launched In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

IN a bid to bridge existing HIV information gaps and access to care for adolescents and young people, Youth Advocates Zimbabwe (YAZ), working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and the National AIDS Council (NAC) have launched the SADC Youth Helpline to facilitate dialogue and openness between healthcare service providers and young people. By Michael Gwarisa The 393 Youth Helpline national contact center will be piloted in three districts in the SADC region namely, Francistown in Botswana, Zomba in Malawi and Zvishavane in Zimbabwe. The project also…

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