{"id":5020,"date":"2011-11-06T18:00:16","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T01:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/humanium.org\/en\/?page_id=5020"},"modified":"2025-12-06T16:03:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T16:03:37","slug":"zambia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/","title":{"rendered":"Children of Zambia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Realizing Children&#8217;s Rights in Zambia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-circle-mask\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"159\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33374\" style=\"width:190px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-circle-mask\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33375\" style=\"width:190px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population. Subjected to severe poverty, Zambian children are faced with challenges such as malnutrition, imprisonment, educational disadvantages, child marriage, and hard labour.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d15924556.135956857!2d18.81297111380176!3d-12.982653162105844!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x1940f4a5fcfc0b71%3A0xf19ff9ac7e583e45!2sZambia!5e0!3m2!1sen!2shr!4v1585404581012!5m2!1sen!2shr\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" aria-hidden=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Population:<\/strong> 17,4 million<br><strong>Pop. ages 0-14:<\/strong> 45.95%<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Life expectancy:<\/strong> 62 years<br><strong>Under-5 mortality rate:<\/strong> 59.3 \u2030<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Zambia at a Glance&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern-Central Africa. Its neighbours are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/tanzania\/\">Tanzania<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/malawi\/\">Malawi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zimbabwe\/\">Zimbabwe<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/botswana\/\">Botswana<\/a>. The population of the country is approximately 17.4 million and is continuously increasing at a fast pace. The population is mostly concentrated in Lusaka, its capital, and the Copperbelt Province. The young population, between the ages of 0 to 14, accounts for 45.95 percent of the total population. It is also home to a wide variety of ethnic groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zambia is considered a stable country in terms of politics with successful democratic elections held every five years. As Africa\u2019s second-largest copper producer, Zambia achieved middle-income country status in 2011 with great economic growth in the years 2004-2014. However, the growth only benefitted a small portion of the population and had a limited impact on poverty. Still today, poverty and the problems it causes pose a significant threat to a greater segment of the population. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/poverty\/\">Poverty<\/a> results in problems in sanitation, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/water\/\">access to water<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/food\/\">malnutrition<\/a>, and land tenure which could be detrimental considering that agriculture is the livelihood of almost 90 percent of the Zambian population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These problems have had bearing on the children of Zambia. As a result, many children throughout the country are unable to enjoy all of the rights proclaimed by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/convention\/\">International Convention of Children\u2019s Rights<\/a>. There have been improvements regarding child rights and opportunities provided to them; however, despite such progress, many Zambian children face significant hurdles in securing even the basic standards of survival and development. Thus, the full realization of children\u2019s rights is still going to demand time and effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Status of Children Rights<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Children\nrepresent a relatively large percentage of the Zambian population: in 2018\n45.95 percent of the population were between the ages of 0 and 14. The median age in Zambia is only\n16.8 years of age which is one of the lowest in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"270\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33380\" style=\"width:329px;height:219px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_3.jpg 270w, https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_3-230x153.jpg 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 270px) 100vw, 270px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In Zambia, 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 42 percent are classified as extremely poor. Generally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/poor-children\/\">poverty<\/a> is more prevalent in rural regions in Zambia where the children population is highest. Rampant poverty results in many parents preventing their children from attending school in order that they may <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-labour\/\">work full time<\/a> to contribute financially towards the family\u2019s support. It forms a formidable barrier to accessing adequate nutrition, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/fundamental-rights-2\/health\/\">proper health care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/right-to-education\/\">rudimentary education<\/a> and decent housing, and denies leisure almost altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years, Zambia has signed two Children Rights declarations: The United Nations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/convention\/text\/\">Convention on the Rights of the Child,<\/a> ratified it in 1991, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Since then, there have been several developments concerning children\u2019s rights through both legal and administrative changes. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/justice-of-children\/\">the legal and policy frameworks for children<\/a> and investments in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/right-to-education\/\">education<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/protection\/\">child protection<\/a> remain insufficient. In addition, investment in public resources in the social sectors benefiting children is decreasing. Although the Convention was ratified early, it is, still today, only partially adopted and incorporated into domestic law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, awareness of children\u2019s rights in Zambia is increasing; youth activists and current organizations are working in support of children, are protesting and ameliorating health issues, gender disparities concerning children, and the status of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-marriage\/\">child marriages.<\/a> If managed correctly, the government, civil society, and international organizations have the potential to better the implementation of children\u2019s rights and endorse youth empowerment. Nevertheless, public awareness of the Zambian people regarding children\u2019s rights has been increasing as a result of initiatives made by advocates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Child-Sensitive Social\nProtection<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Social protection is essential for preventing and reducing poverty for children and families, for addressing inequalities, and for realizing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/childrens-rights\/\">children\u2019s rights.<\/a> In addition, it is essential that social protection programs respond to children\u2019s vulnerabilities by optimizing positive effects on children and minimizing potential adverse consequences. Given its positive contribution to reducing poverty, vulnerability, and risk, social protection has gained interest in recent years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If\n\u200bchild-sensitive social protection is put into action correctly, it has the\nopportunity to address chronic poverty, social exclusion, and external shocks\nwhich can irreversibly affect children. Social protection programs are now\ninvolved in the Zambian government\u2019s poverty mitigation strategy, along with\nsocial welfare programs and human resources development, which include a focus\non children\u2019s health and nutrition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nSocial Cash Transfer Scheme (SCT), which was established by UNICEF and\npartners, is aiming to increase budget allocations for the SCT programme in\nZambia. These efforts contributed to the budget increase for the programme from\nUS$30.2 million in 2016 to US$55.2 million per year in 2017. Recognising that\nit is politically more palatable, such focus brings significant benefits to\nchildren and can pave the way to a child focused grant, a benefit that makes\nsocial protection more child-sensitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, the Zambia Child Grant Programme \u2013 an unconditional cash transfer targeted to rural families with children under age five \u2013 is proving to have a positive impact on nutritional inputs and overall <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/health-2\/\">health in children.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although some policies of social protection in Zambia are becoming more child-sensitive, it is still inadequate. It is important that policies, legislation, and regulations effectively consider the viewpoint of children, youth, and their caregivers- so that children\u2019s rights are met more holistically.&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Addressing the Needs of\nChildren<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/fundamental-rights-2\/health\/\">Right to Health<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Zambia\u2019s national sanitary indicators are very low. Average life expectancy is 62 years, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/infant-mortality\/\">the infant mortality<\/a> rate is at a proportionately deplorable level as well with 59.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nlack of infrastructure, material and trained personnel are the principal causes\nof the state of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/fundamental-rights-2\/health\/\">Zambia\u2019s <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/fundamental-rights-2\/health\/\">health system<\/a>. Thousands\nof children lack access to basic medical care.&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zambia is also experiencing a\ngeneralized HIV\/AIDS epidemic that is deteriorating the\nstatus of children and their care. The pandemic resulted in increased number of orphans, with an estimated\n600,000 orphans in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another health hazard, increased\nlevels of lead poisoning in the country has a detrimental effect on children\nwho are already highly vulnerable. Lead can cause stunted growth, anaemia,\nlearning difficulties, organ damage, coma and convulsions, and even death.\nThus, it is of uttermost importance to eradicate this issue as soon as possible.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/identity\/\">Right to Identity<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In Zambia, there are many\n\u201cinvisible\u201d children, children who are not recognized by the Zambian law because\ntheir births are not recorded. Indeed, less than half of all births are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/identity\/\">officially declared to the\nauthorities<\/a>,\nprimarily due to difficulty of access to public identity registration services.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"216\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33381\" style=\"width:272px;height:227px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The deficiency of regulations on births and a scarcity of information about the need to register children are the biggest obstacles towards realization of a complete birth registry. There is a great necessity to inform the general public about the effects of this problem, such as the absence of official identity, nationality, or even the failure to respect the rights and practical needs of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/stateless-invisible\/\">Birth registration<\/a> is a fundamental right as it provides the child a name, parentage, nationality, and age. It also represents a proof of identity, a sign of existence in the eyes of society, granting them automatic protection from the government against trafficking and forced labour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/right-to-education\/\">Right to Education<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/right-to-education\/\">The education system<\/a> in Zambia needs to make much more progress to satisfy the needs of its children as a whole, and in the last decade it has made some efforts to accomplish that. Enrolments in compulsory primary education doubled from 2000 reaching 3.3 million in 2017. Gender disparities between primary school children decreased enabling girls to enrol at same numbers as boys.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"285\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33382\" style=\"width:326px;height:217px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_4.jpg 285w, https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_4-230x153.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_4-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 285px) 100vw, 285px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>However, after primary school,\nthere are barriers students and their families face, such as additional fees,\nlong distances, sanitation, and many more. Additionally, the quality and\nadequacy of education still remains as a problem. School buildings are\ndilapidated, overcrowded and unsafe; sanitation is often absent; study\nmaterials are inadequate; the instructional systems are antiquated; and the\nteachers are not always qualified. What\u2019s more, cases of corporal punishment,\nmistreatment and even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/sexual-abuse-children\/\">sexual abuse<\/a> are causes for serious concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Risk Factors \u2192 Country-specific challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/food\/\">Malnutrition<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/water\/\">access to water<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/food\/\">Malnutrition<\/a> prevents millions of Zambia\u2019s children from\nreaching their potential. Although they do not suffer immense hunger, the diet\nof most children lacks basic nutritional elements essential for a healthy life.\nThese nutritional deficiencies negatively affect their immune systems and\nrender them extremely vulnerable to illnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2016, more than 40% of Zambian\nchildren that were under the age of five were stunted and 15% were underweight\nmainly due to malnutrition thus setting the stage for a lifelong of substandard\nhealth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/water\/\">Access to clean and abundant water<\/a> is a challenging pursuit in Zambia. 61 per cent of the population use basic drinking water services, being more prevalent in urban areas. To improve this condition, in 2011, Parliament passed a new water resources management law, which however failed to move the needle on the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-marriage\/\">Child Marriage<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-marriage\/\">Child marriage<\/a> is prevalent in Zambia with almost 31 percent of girls married before\nthe age of 18. The legal age of marriage in Zambia is 16 and so the betrothal\nof barely pubescent girls is not uncommon. Though nominally illegal, these\nunions are largely tolerated and some country-specific drivers of this are\ntraditional customs, gender norms, family practices, and levels of education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This practice carries serious\nnegative consequences in the emotional and psychological development of these\nyoung girls, who find themselves forced prematurely into traumatic sexual\nrelations, not always consensual, and must transition abruptly from childhood\nto adulthood without the preparative phase of adolescence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Street Children<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"253\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33383\" style=\"width:305px;height:229px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_6.jpg 253w, https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_6-230x173.jpg 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The number of children living on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/street-children\/\">streets<\/a> of Zambia\u2019s cities are very high. It\u2019s also estimated that one in five Zambian children do not live with their parents. The life conditions of these children are desperate, exposing them to all the dangers of the streets, which render them helpless victims of a host of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/abuse\/\">abuses<\/a>, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/violence\/\">violence<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-trafficking\/\">trafficking<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-prostitution\/\"> prostitution<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/children-and-addictions\/\">alcoholism and drug addiction<\/a> and exploitative labour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Zambian government has succeeded in assisting some of them through the provision of lodging houses and training programs. Additionally there are programs such as the Anglican Street Children Programme which brings children back into the education system and away from child labour and a life on the streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Child Labour<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"270\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33384\" style=\"width:306px;height:204px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_5.jpg 270w, https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_5-230x153.jpg 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 270px) 100vw, 270px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A large portion of Zambian children are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-labour\/\">engaged in an economic activity<\/a>. A 2017 report of the United States\u2019 Bureau of International Labor Affairs indicates that Zambia\u2019s worst forms of child labour is in agriculture, industry and services. The high number of children who are living on the streets or are not continuing their education do so in order to bring income to cover their essential needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These children undergo a miserable existence: long working hours in accident-prone conditions, subsistence wages, dietary shortcomings, lack of shelter, etc. Moreover, besides exposure to the elements and disease, they are chronically vulnerable to dangers such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-prostitution\/\">prostitution,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/nondiscrimination\/\">discrimination<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/abuse\/\">mistreatment<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/child-trafficking\/\">trafficking<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/children-and-addictions\/\">substance abuse<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Child Imprisonment<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Children\nin Zambia\u2019s prison population is prevalent. Many of them are of a tender age,\neven below the age of four when with their mothers. The survival of these\nchildren is placed in serious jeopardy, especially because prisons do not treat\nand protect them as children by placing them with adult inmates. Thus, at the\nprevailing levels of nutrition, health care and space they are accorded,\ncombined with an unsanitary environment, these children are exposed to\ninnumerable risks, mainly abuse with tragic \u2013 and often fatal \u2013 consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/detained-children\/\">child prisoners<\/a> are not separated from adult detainees, they are routinely tormented and victimized by the dreadful violence and depravity reigning in these overcrowded facilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Written by Yagmur Ozturk<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Last updated on 28 March 2020<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For more\ninformation:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/afczambia.org\/\">Action for Children,\nZambia<\/a>, non-governmental organization which helps bring\nstreet children back to family life within their community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalgiving.org\/donate\/5119\/power-of-love-foundation\/\">Power of Love Foundation<\/a>, organization which provides food, medicines, and a package of life saving health care services to many HIV+ children, and training in HIV to families in Zambia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/globalhealth\/countries\/zambia\/default.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">CDC Global Health &#8211; Zambia. (2019, June 17)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wvi.org\/publications\/report\/zambia\/child-rights-barometer-measuring-government-efforts-protect-girls-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Child Rights Barometer: Measuring Government Efforts to Protect Girls and Boys in Zambia. (n.d.)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/socialprotection.org\/discover\/publications\/national-social-protection-policy-reducing-poverty-inequality-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Ministry of Community Development. (n.d.). National Social Protection Policy: Reducing poverty, inequality and vulnerability.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zambia.savethechildren.net\/what-we-do\/child-rights-governance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Save the Children. (n.d.). Child Rights Governance<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2019\/08\/23\/we-have-be-worried\/impact-lead-contamination-childrens-rights-kabwe-zambia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">The Impact of Lead Contamination on Children&#8217;s Rights in Kabwe, Zambia. (2019, September 13)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef-irc.org\/publications\/1049-cash-transfers-and-child-nutrition-in-zambia.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">UNICEF. (n.d.). Cash Transfers and Child Nutrition in Zambia<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/zambia\/child-protection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">UNICEF. (n.d.). Child Protection.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">USAID. (2019, June 13). Health: Zambia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/country\/zambia\/overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">World Bank. (n.d.). Overview.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indexmundi.com\/zambia\/demographics_profile.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Zambia &#8211; Demographics Profile. (n.d.)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.business-humanrights.org\/en\/zambia-lead-poisoning-having-disastrous-effects-on-children%E2%80%99s-heath-hrw-report\" target=\"_blank\">Zambia: Lead poisoning having disastrous effects on children&#8217;s heath; HRW report. (2019, September 18).<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Realizing Children&#8217;s Rights in Zambia With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population. Subjected to severe poverty, Zambian children are faced with challenges such as malnutrition, imprisonment, educational disadvantages, child marriage, and hard labour. Population: 17,4 millionPop. ages 0-14: 45.95% Life expectancy: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5020","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Children of Zambia - Humanium<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Children of Zambia - Humanium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Humanium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-06T16:03:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"159\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/\",\"name\":\"Children of Zambia - Humanium\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-11-07T01:00:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-06T16:03:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg\",\"width\":159,\"height\":200},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Children of Zambia\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Humanium\",\"description\":\"Children first!\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Children of Zambia - Humanium","description":"With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Children of Zambia - Humanium","og_description":"With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/","og_site_name":"Humanium","article_modified_time":"2025-12-06T16:03:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":159,"height":200,"url":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/","url":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/","name":"Children of Zambia - Humanium","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg","datePublished":"2011-11-07T01:00:16+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-06T16:03:37+00:00","description":"With children making up almost 50 per cent of the population, Zambia struggles to meet the needs of its childhood-aged population.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Zambia_1.jpg","width":159,"height":200},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/zambia\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Children of Zambia"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/","name":"Humanium","description":"Children first!","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5020"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87509,"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5020\/revisions\/87509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}