The impact of water scarcity on child rights in Zimbabwe: The case of Unit D area in Chitungwiza.

Abstract

The study serves to unpack the impact of water scarcity on child rights in Zimbabwe using a case study of Unit D area in Chitungwiza. The study gave focus to three objectives looking at the extent of water scarcity, the direct and secondary impact of water scarcity on child rights. The research offers a scrutiny of water scarcity impact in relation to children linking the different impacts to child rights as stipulated in Zimbabwe’s 2013 constitution, ACRWC and UNCRC. The researcher utilized qualitative research using focus group discussions, unstructured interviews, transect walks and document review to obtain data. The findings showed that the community has come up with different copying mechanisms to water scarcity which vary with one’s financial status. The research findings further showed that water scarcity is a force that impedes on fulfillment of different child rights despite their age or gender. Findings showed that children without doubt, play a critical role in the water paucity struggles resulting in their rights being violated on a day to day occurrence both directly and indirectly. The research concluded that water scarcity is one of the major causes of child rights violations.