Source: World Bank

Zimbabwe is considered a developing country with a population of approximately 13 million people and a gross national income per capita of $350 in 2005 (GNI, Atlas method). It has an area of 390,800 sq. km. Zimbabwe’s GDP annual growth is in the negative numbers at –6.5%.

Zimbabwe’s economy relies heavily on agricultural crops, such as cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane, and on related manufacturing industries, such as sugar production and textiles. Mining, particularly gold, is also a major activity.

Since the late 1990s Zimbabwe has been struggling with the resolution of fiscal problems; poverty, the inequities in land distribution, and unemployment problems; population pressures; and unfavorable rainfall patterns. It also faces the challenge of a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, due in part to increasing poverty levels and limited access to basic social services. Continued economic deterioration since 1997 has further been intensified by the uncertainties surrounding the land reform program and, therefore, decreased agricultural production and tourism revenues. Expansionary macroeconomic policies, a breakdown in law and order, and the virtual collapse of the agricultural sector as a result of the fast-track land reforms have reduced the potential for growth.  

Source: UNICEF/UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Statistical Table A1.

Zimbabwe falls well below the regional average of out-of-school children in Eastern and Southern Africa behind Seychelles, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda, Malawi, and Botswana. .

Child Labour: Zimbabwe has ratified both ILO Convention 182 [worst forms of child labour] and 138 [minimum age of employment]. The National Plan of Action targets orphans and vulnerable children. A recent legislative change includes the adoption of child protection policy as an act. In addition, child exploitation is now an offence and civic and government ministry officers have been selected to monitor and support provincial and district child protection committees

The percentage of children 5 to 14 years of age involved in child labour activities for 1999-2005 is 26%. A child is considered to be involved in child labour activities under the following classification: (a) children 5 to 11 years of age that during the week preceding the survey did at least one hour of economic activity or at least 28 hours of domestic work, and (b) children 12 to 14 years of age that during the week preceding the survey did at least 14 hours of economic activity or at least 42 hours of economic activity and domestic work combined (UNICEF).

As reported in The Herald (Harare) on June 27, 2007, Zimbabwe is afflicted by child labour and the issues have also been compounded by the HIV/AIDS scourge and the increasing number of child headed families. The fight against child labour, particularly in the agricultural sector, is not only the concern of the International Labour Organization alone but that of governments, employers and other social partners, including the Food and Agricultural Organization and the International Fund for Agriculture. Zimbabwe also has an action plan coordinated by the government, UN agencies and civil society organizations that protects and ensures orphans and other children in difficult circumstances have access to amenities such as food, health services, and education, seeking to protect them from abuse and exploitation.

Source: Children Out of School: Measuring Exclusion From Primary Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Education: According to the Children Out of School: Measuring Exclusion From Primary Education Report for 2005, out of the 2,555,000 children in the 6-12 school-age group in Zimbabwe, 80.5% were in school in the year 2002-03 while 19.5% or 498,000 children were out of school. Compared to a household survey done in 1999, the percentage of out-of-school children increased from 14.5% or 369,000 children. The percentage of out-of-school girls at 47.2% is lower than that for boys at 52.8%. The rural percentage of primary school-age children is 76.9% while the urban percentage is 23.1%, making the total rural out-of-school percentage larger at 85% vs. 15% for urban children.

For 2003-04, the average aid to education was US$6 million (EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007) and the percentage of central government expenditure (1994-2004) allocated to: education is 24% (UNICEF). There are no reported special allocations for primary education and no special focus on girls’ education.

Poverty: 83% of the population lives on less than US$2 per day (1990-2003, EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007). The annual inflation rate of 237.7%, with year-on-year inflation reaching 914% in March 2006, makes meeting daily needs extremely difficult in a society where 18.1% of the GDP comes from agriculture. Poverty is influenced by the low life expectancy at birth of 37.3 years compounded by the high 20.1% HIV prevalence rate for ages 15-49 (World Bank) and an unemployment rate as of 2004 of 9.3% (ILO).
Even though Zimbabwe has a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, the issue of child labour is not reflected despite the fact that there are economically active children. Furthermore, there is no confirmed record of budgetary allocation for the eradication of child labour or rehabilitation schemes with respect to child labour and no integrated policy on child labour elimination linked with education for all and poverty alleviation.

Transnational Issues:
Refugees: (country of origin) 6,536 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Internally Displaced Persons: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2006)
Source: CIA The World Factbook

Trafficking in Persons: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation. Rural Zimbabwean children are trafficked into cities for agricultural labor, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation. Zimbabwean women and children are reportedly trafficked for sexual exploitation in towns along the borders with the four surrounding countries. Young women and girls are also lured to South Africa, People’s Republic of China, Egypt, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Zambia with false employment offers that result in involuntary domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation. Women and children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia are trafficked through Zimbabwe en route to South Africa. Small numbers of South African girls are trafficked to Zimbabwe for forced domestic labor.

Tier rating: Tier 2 - The Government of Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Over the last year, the government displayed a more vigorous commitment to addressing trafficking in persons issues.

Source: 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report