Ndebele Cultural Practices And The Promotion Of Children’s Rights In Zimbabwe

Abstract

Culture offers ecological resources for the promotion of child rights in Africa despite it also being a host of harm to children through harmful cultural practices. In line with the strength perspective in social work, it is imperative to explore the contribution of culture in the promotion of child rights in Zimbabwe. This article is based on the findings of a qualitative study that explored the contribution of the Ndebele cultural practices to the promotion of children’s rights in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by a constructivist research paradigm and the case study as a research design. Purposive sampling was used to select both participants and key informants. In-depth interviews were conducted with 7 community-based participants who were considered to be the custodians of Ndebele cultural heritage. Additionally, 3 child protection social workers who were conversant with the Ndebele culture and working in the Nkayi district were interviewed as key informants. In-depth interview guides were used as data collection tools. To analyse data, thematic data analysis was utilised. It was established from the study that there are several cultural practices among the Ndebele people that promote children’s rights in Zimbabwe and these include child naming, traditional child games, totem recitals, and the extended family and communal care system.