Due to their age , children are considered vulnerable .

There are however other factors that

increase the children's vulnerability . As such , children are exposed to conditions which violate

their rights which later affect them in the future .This essay is going to explore the roles of the

SOS Children's Villages ,Girl Child Network and UNICEF as child support networks in assisting

vulnerable children in primary schools .The terms to be defined are vulnerable children and

support network .

World Bank (2004) asserts that vulnerable children as juveniles who are and have conditions that

make them prone to abuse whereas Skinner et al (2006) identify children as minors who are more
likely to have their rights violated .Vulnerable children are therefore minors who have and are in

conditions that make them prone to abuse and rights violations .UNICEF (2004) identifies a

support network as a set of contacts which provides aid whereas Emerson and Hatton (2005)

allude that support networks are groups that render services and assistance where

needed .Support networks are therefore groups for the provision of services and aid where

needed.

Children need to be bought up in loving , caring and safe environments.The family unit is the

best institution for the provision of such an environment .Brown (2011) defines a family as a

group of people united by blood ties , marriage or adoption who form a common

residence .However due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the current economic situation in the

country amongst other factors which has led to the death , migration ,divorce and of parents and

resulting in the neglect of children .The family unit has been dismantled leaving children

critically vulnerable as they have lost people who are primarily responsible for making decisions

on their behalf guaranteeing their safety and supporting their development towards

adulthood .This places them at a higher risk of experiencing child rights violations .

SOS Children's Village Association of Zimbabwe is a member of the SOS International a

worldwide children's social welfare organisation and support network .SOS is the brainchild of
Herman Gemeiner (1919-1986) an Austrian soldier who observed that the Second World War in

which he participated in resulted in many children becoming homeless and orphans .He founded

the first SOS Children's Village in 1949 .Originally SOS Children's Village was established to

look after orphans of the Second World War but later the organisation eventually started looking

after abandoned , neglected , abused and children in difficult economic situations .SOS

Children's Villages Zimbabwe provides vulnerable children without parental care and homes

with a family, home ,educational opportunities at pre and primary schools as well as

strengthening families to reduce poverty .

The SOS model is based on the family approach to long term and care of orphaned and

abandoned children in line with the Section 81 of the Rights Constitution of Zimbabwe

(n.d)which stipulates that every child has the right to family or parental care or appropriate

alternative care when removed from the family environment .The SOS Children's Villages of

Zimbabwe provides alternate families to children without adequate parental care .Children of

different ages and background live together in a house with full time parent usually a woman

who serves as the children's parent .In addition to the villages , the organisation also runs a whole

range of programmes and facilities to support the socially disadvantaged and impoverished

families through its subsidised pre and primary schools ,medical centers and emergency response

relief operations .

Although all children are considered vulnerable , the girl child is the most vulnerable of the two

sexes .UNICEF (2004) defines the girl child as a female minor .Unlike the boy child , her male

counterpart , the girl child due to some cultural norms and societal views , the girl child is

vulnerable to abuse , discrimination and exploitation .The Girl Child Network is a response to

the harsh realities of the girl child observed in the home school and community .After

experiencing abuse as a child as well as listening to horrifying ordeals and experiences of abuse

of ten of her female students , Betty Makoni co-founded the Girl Child Network along with ten
of her female students .The support network was born out of particular concern of the difficult

path faced by the girl child in pursuing her educational goals .

Brown (2011) asserts that due to reasons ranging from beliefs and and practises to economic

which include : sexual abuse ,insufficient resources for education (coupled with preference given

to the education of male children) and being forced to take charge of child headed households

have forced girls to drop out of school .The Girl Child Network mobilises the community to

eradicate patriarchal structures that dominate the home , school and community so as to support

the development of an enabling environment and to protect the rights of the girl child .Article 2
of the ARCWR (2007) obliges state parties (in which Zimbabwe is included) to ensure that every

child enjoys the rights set out in the Convention without any discrimination irrespective of the

child's sex as well as take measures to end harmful practises particulary those that discriminate

on the grounds of sex .The network also offers shelter which serves as " safe houses" where

survivors of rape and sexual abuse seek refuge and rehabilitation .In addition to the guidance and

counselling lessons the network avails in primary schools , the Girl Child Network establishes

clubs in the schools to equip the girl child with knowledge on issues affecting the girl child .

The clubs are the epicentre of the support network , making it a truly grassroot movement for

girls in Zimbabwe .Also the network provides referrals for legal aid , shelter , counselling and

relocation .

Stigma , ignorance ,neglect, superstition and communication barriers for children with

disabilities are among social factors that explain their discrimination and isolation from

society .World Bank (2010) defines a disability as the limitations to do activities by medically

determined physical or mental impairment .Children with single or multiple forms of physical ,

mental , intellectual or sensory impairments can become disabled if attidunal and environment

barriers deny their human rights and hinder access to basic services and fore close equal

participation .Based on the social model of disability ,UNICEF advocates for the inclusive set up
in nursery , preschools and primary schools , trains teachers and caregivers on how to

accommodate learners with disabilities in class set ups as well as assist with aids and learning

materials for different disabilities .

UNICEF works with children with disabilities in the context of all its work .The network

believes that the frequent institutionalisation of children , denying them the right to live in a

family environment can further impact their ability to grow to their potential and can increase

their vulnerability .Also UNICEF upholds the rights of the children living with disabilities by

also strengthening disability inclusive preparedness in disaster or conflict situations .This

network assists and ensures that all children are registered and attend school in line with the

children's rights and disabled peoples rights as well as pitching in through erecting learning

structures , playgrounds and provision of learning material with assist learners living with

disabilities .

In conclusion the support networks play a pivotal role in protecting children from all forms of

abuse , rights infregement and violations .These support networks enforce and advocate the

rights of children irregadless of sex and disability amongst others .Without the child support

networks , the lives of many children are at stake as the majority of Zimbabwe's children are

belong to a certain vulnerability group .

REFERENCES

Article 2 (n.d) African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children ,Children's Rights Booklet

Brown ,K (2011) .Child Headed Households , Retrieved on 19 June 2020 from:

https://www.raysofhope.coza/projects/childheadedhouseholds.
Emerson , E .& Hatton , C. (2005). The Socio -Economic Circumstances of Families Supporting

Child at Risk and Disability in Britain ,Lancaster Health Institution

Section 81 (n.d) .The Rights Constitution of Zimbabwe

Skinner ,D ,Tsheko ,N & Mtero ,S (2006) .Towards a Definition of Orphaned and Vulnerable

Children .Retrieved 19 June 2020 from

https://www/vulnerable/children/definitions.

UNICEF (2004) .Child Protection from Violence , Exploitation and Abuse of Orphans and
Vulnerable Children .Retrieved on 19 June 2020 from

https://www.unicef.org.

World Bank (2010) .Orphan and. Vulnerable Children Core Definitions .Retrieved on 19 June

2020 from

https://info.world bank.org/docs/library/1654047/howknow/definitions.