DIVORCED parents cause grave problems to their children, including lack of proper care and inaccessibility to education, a survey conducted in Unguja West district in Zanzibar has revealed.

Discussing the plight of children in difficult environment, children rights' activists said at the meeting in Zanzibar that children from split parents are unable to go to school, get good shelter, and they lack accessibility to health care.

"When husband and wife divorce, children are much affected because they are neglected by both parents and also risk engaging in bad behaviours," said Ms Rukia Abdallah Jaha, who is children affairs' officer in Zanzibar.

She added that most cases recorded in her office are linked to father's irresponsibility after divorce, and it is worse in poor families where children are not taken to school, and without support from family, they end up in child labour.

Some activists also blame female parents for moral decay and children misbehaviour, because they allow whatever the child needs to do. Complete freedom to children is dangerous and is a bad way of upbringing a child, she said.

The activists appealed to parents, including the divorced, to take child care seriously, to have a good nation of educated, hardworking, and behaved citizens. Children under 18 years in Zanzibar are said to be using illicit drugs due to irresponsibility by the society, family, and the government at different levels.