“Hook-up” and substance abuse among street children of Harare Central Business District, Zimbabwe: implications for development work

Abstract

Very few studies have been carried on the complex relationship between hook up and substance abuse among street children of Harare Central Business District from the ‘emic’ world view. High risks for sexual abuse, violence, exploitation and STIs are some of the challenges this presents for development of families, communities and country. Research findings suggest that the relationship between substance abuse and hook up among children in street situations is multi-dimensional. The child rights, child agency and ubuntu or unhu perspectives were used to analyse this multi-dimensional nature of a relationship. The children in street situations demonstrate their agency when they engage in hook up and substance abuse. Through hook up and abusing substances some of the children are able to coping with their situations. However, such behaviours are considered as ambiguous of agency as they clash with moral and societal norms and values. They are also seen as self-destructive agency because of the risks associated with the social actions. Drawing from the ubuntu and or unhu perspective, hook up and abusing substances among street children of Harare Central Business District articulate moral decadence among these children. Hook up and abusing substance among children in street situations demonstrate huge child rights violations prevalent on the streets of the Harare Central Business District. The qualitative research methodology punctuated by street ethnography approach, meaning the researchers engaged the ethnographic participants as they were moving through these public spaces, to generate data for this paper. The study concludes by proffering a number of recommendations to reduce risks associated with hook up and abuse of substances among these children.