Children Left Homeless After Eviction.

Children are the most vulnerable victims of evictions, and the recent eviction of 55 families from Feber Plot in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, is a stark reminder of the plight of children without shelter.

Among the affected families are 25 pupils at various primary and secondary schools in Gwanda District. When the children arrived home from school, they found their parents stranded by the roadside with their personal belongings.

The families were evicted after a court order was granted in favor of the rightful owner of the land. However, the families say they were not given adequate notice to vacate, and that their property was damaged during the eviction process.

One mother, Ms. Faris Mudenda, said she has three children aged between two and 11. She said she was at work when she received a call telling her that their belongings were being moved. When she arrived home, she found officers and other people moving their belongings.

“They were moving our property from the plot, loading it into a car, and dumping it here by the roadside,” she said. “Some of our property was damaged in the process and some of us lost money in the process as there were a lot of mix-ups of valuables.”

Another mother, Mrs. Mary Chitimba, said her daughter, a Lower Six student at Sabiwa High School, was shocked when she arrived home to find her parents stranded by the roadside.

“I can’t understand why we are being treated this way,” said Mrs. Chitimba. “We have lived on this plot for many years, and our children go to school here. Where are we supposed to go now?”

The eviction of the families from Feber Plot is just one example of the many evictions that take place in Zimbabwe each year. Evictions are often carried out without due notice or regard for the rights of the residents, and children are particularly vulnerable.

Children who are evicted from their homes face a number of challenges, including:

• Loss of access to education and healthcare
• Increased risk of violence and exploitation
• Psychological trauma and stress

The government of Zimbabwe has a responsibility to protect the rights of all children, including those who are homeless. The government should take steps to prevent evictions from taking place, and to provide support to children who are evicted from their homes.

Call to action

We urge the government of Zimbabwe to take the following steps to protect the rights of children who are homeless:

• Enact and enforce laws that prohibit evictions without due notice and adequate safeguards for residents, including children.
• Establish shelters and other support services for homeless children and families.
• Ensure that homeless children have access to education and healthcare.
• Work with communities to develop sustainable solutions to homelessness.