DISTRICT CONSULTATIONS REPORTS CHAPTER 2: DISCRIMINATION Challenges ? Discrimination is prevalent in schools where physically challenged children, children living with HIV and AIDS and the poor are the most affected groups. Recommendations ? School authorities should provide guidance and counselling, create suggestion boxes and implement interaction clubs. ? It is necessary and ideal for every child to participate in matters that affect children. HEALTH Challenges ? Young children are not being immunized. ? Cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea are the most dominant and prevalent diseases in the area. They mostly affect people with unprotected water sources, the poor people and those who are not educated. Recommendations ? Little children should be immunized and there should be free medication for children. ? Children want to grow in a healthy, clean and safe environment with enough food and water. SHELTER Challenges ? They are homeless children living in Gutu and some are living in shelters unfit for children. Recommendations ? Social services department, Churches and NGOs should commit themselves to protecting children and should build children's homes as well as ensuring that the homeless children are accommodated. EDUCATION Challenges ? Children are denied education only because they are from previous marriages. ? Children in rural areas walk long distances to school. Some end dropping from school. ? A combination of frequent strikes by teachers; shortage of qualified teachers; shortage of learning material and school uniforms; poor food in boarding schools; exorbitant fees; sending away of students for non-payment of schools fees by school authorities has resulted in the increase of school drop outs and the denial of children's fundamental right to access education. Recommendations ? Parents must execute their parental responsibilities towards their children regardless of the fact that one is a natural parent or not. ? More schools should be constructed in rural areas so that they are reasonably spaced to allow children to walk to and from school. ? The government should shoulder its responsibility of paying teachers adequately in order to eliminate the occurrence of disruptive strikes. ? ZIMSEC should address the real problem of charging high examination fees. ? NGOs and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture should strive to provide children with stationery, uniforms and other needs. ? Children need good food, well cooked food in boarding schools and should be provided with free medication. ? The Government should introduce free and compulsory primary education in order to achieve the millennium development goal of universal primary education. ? The Government must also provide qualified teachers in rural areas. CHILD PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS Children's consultations CONSOLIDATED REPORT 46