Zimbabwe says it is accelerating efforts to move children out of institutional care and into family-based environments as part of sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening child protection systems.
Speaking at the Regional Conference on Family Based Care and Placement in Livingstone, Zambia, Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha said the government was prioritising family and community care over orphanages and children's homes.
The reforms come as Zimbabwe grapples with the welfare of more than 7.1 million children including over 562 000 orphans.
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According to the ministry about 4 500 children are currently living in residential care institutions while only 660 are in formal foster care systems.
"Zimbabwe's child protection system is transitioning from institutional care towards family and community-based care," Dinha said.
She added that more than 95% of children without parental care are already being supported through extended family and kinship systems which she described as evidence of the enduring strength of African family structures.
The government says the reforms are rooted in Section 81 of Zimbabwe's Constitution which guarantees every child the right to family or parental care.
Authorities also want residential institutions to become temporary places of safety rather than long-term homes for vulnerable children.
Under the new approach, Zimbabwe is implementing a National Policy for the Care and Protection of Children Without Parental Care which promotes a six-tier safety net prioritising family reunification, kinship care and foster placement.
Officials say partnerships with organisations such as SOS Children's Villages are already helping reintegrate children from institutions back into communities through foster care and strengthened family support systems.
"To prioritise family-based care, new admissions into institutions have largely been reduced for the most deserving cases," Dinha said.
The reforms also include parenting support programmes, counselling services, foster care grants and educational assistance aimed at preventing unnecessary family separation.
Zimbabwe is additionally turning to digital technology to improve child protection systems through the National Case Management Information System which officials say is improving case tracking and accountability.
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However, the government acknowledged growing challenges facing children leaving institutional care warning that weakening family ties and the erosion of traditional Ubuntu values were complicating reintegration into society.
In response, authorities are developing a National After Care Policy designed to support young people transitioning into adulthood after leaving care institutions.
"Once finalised, Zimbabwe will become one of the pioneering countries in Africa to establish such a progressive and comprehensive after-care framework," Dinha said.
The deputy minister argued that family-based care was not only better for children emotionally and socially but also more cost-effective than institutional care.
"As we gather here, let us reaffirm our shared commitment to ensuring that every child grows up in a loving, protective, and stable family environment," she said.
