involved in the skirmishes in various ways. In high density areas such as Highfields, shops were looted and some of the conspicuous looters were children. One adult reported seeing children fighting over the loot, and some threatening each other with knives which they had in their possession. Video footage circulating on social media from Bulawayo showed children participating in the looting of shops along with adults. In Dzivaresekwa 2 in Harare, there were reports of children and their parents who had escaped to the hills being asked to roll down the hills, in the process getting injured. House arrests were reported in some high-density areas in Harare, with children being detained for long in their houses together with their parents and guardians. Households suffered as they were running out of supplies and movement was highly curtailed. In cases of those who died due to military action, children were left orphaned and without bread winners. This was the case with a 7-months-old child in Chitungwiza whose 22-year-old father was shot dead by soldiers in the protests in Chitungwiza.2 The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission reported that more people died in the January 2019 protests compared to the extra-judicial killings of 1 August 2018.3 Access to Health Another impact of the stay away on children was violation of the children's right to access health care facilities. For instance, on the 15th of January 2019, Sakubva Clinic in Mutare was forced to close save for the maternity department. This meant that all injured children had nowhere to be attended to. A boy from New Dangare, Sakubva who needed his wound dressed-up was stuck with her mother at the gate of the clinic as there was no one to attend to them. More pain and suffering had to be endured until on the 18th of January when the clinic was back to its normal operations. A girl from Chinyausunzi was brutally beaten by the military for walking along the streets around Sakubva Stadium. She had her hand oozing with blood and could not be attended at Sakubva Clinic as a result of the closure. In Dangamvura a child who presented symptoms of malaria could not get immediate medical assistance because all the medial centres were shut down. Children being separated from their parents In various places in Harare and beyond, there was a high number of incidences of children being separated from their parents. There were some reports of abductions and displacements, which left children with no adults to attend to them. In Marondera there was an incident of a child who had to be picked from the police station by her parent after the child’s school had closed and dismissed children – with some of the children having no one to collect them and nowhere to go in the chaos. In cases of those who died due to military action, children were left orphaned and without bread winners. 1.5 Conclusion Generally, there was minimal reporting on the plight of children during this period, especially in the local State-controlled media. A few privately-owned newspapers, however, carried stories of children who suffered as a result of the protests, including arrests of children. Notwithstanding, the repercussions for children were beyond physical injuries and psychological trauma as a result of their experiences. Belligerent behaviour and attitudes were inculcated in children, with some children getting desensitised to violence. 2. “'I've been robbed by the state:' Family mourns 22-year-old shot in the head as Zim in chaos” New Zimbabwe, 19 January 2019 at https://www.newszimbabwe.com/i’ve-been-robbed-by-the-state-family-mourns-22-year-old-in-the-head-as-zim-in-chaos/. 3. Monitoring Report in the Aftermath of the 14 January to 16 January 2019 “Stay Away” and Subsequent Disturbances, http://www.zhrc.rg.zw/monitoring-reportt-in-the-aftermath-of-the-14-january-to-16-january-2019-stay-away-and-subsequestdisturbances. 7 ‘Hear them Cry ’ – An Analysis of State Violence Against Children During the January 2019 Protests