Abantwana Abatsala Nzima

Inkwenkwana, eneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, isebenza nzima iiyure ezili-11 ngosuku iqhekeza amatye ekwarini eIndiya. Ifumana ii-R2,30 ngosuku.

Intombazana, eneminyaka elishumi ubudala, ithengisa ngomzimba wayo kwindlu yamahenyukazi eBangkok. Ayiyanga apho kuba ifuna ukuba lapho. Uyise wathengisa ngayo ngee-R1 100.

Ijoni eliselula, elineminyaka elishumi ubudala, lisebenza ekuhloleni izithuthi ezingena neziphuma kwilizwe elithile laseAfrika. Ligangxe umbayimbayi egxeni; lihambisa ixesha ngokutshaya umya.

IIMEKO ezinjalo zixhaphakile kumazwe asakhasayo. Zizigidi zabantwana abatsala nzima. Abazizigidi ezisixhenxe bankolonkoloza kwiinkampu zeembacu; abangama-30 ezigidi behla benyuka ezitratweni bengenamakhaya; abangama-80 ezigidi abaphakathi kweminyaka eli-10 neli-14 basebenza imisebenzi edodobalisa ukukhula kwabo; abangaphezulu kuhle kwe-100 lezigidi bajamelana nokufa kweli shumi leminyaka ngenxa yokunqongophala koku-tya, kwamanzi acocekileyo nokunyanyekelwa kwempilo.

Qwalasela nje iingxaki ezimbalwa ezijamelene nabantwana jikelele ehlabathini.

Isifo

Abantwana abamalunga nama-8 000 bayafa suku ngalunye kuba bengakhange bagonyelwe izifo ezinjengemasisi nonkonkonko. Abangama-7 000 abangakumbi bayafa mihla le kuba abazali babo bengayazi indlela yokunyamekela ukuphelelwa kwabo ngamanzi omzimba okubangelwa lurhudo. Yonke le mihla abanye abantwana abangama-7 000 bayafa kuba benganikwanga zibulala-ntsholongwane ezibiza irandi kuphela ezilwa nxamnye nezinto ezosulela ngokuphefumla.

Kangangeminyaka amayeza nonyango lwezamayeza belufumaneka ukuze kuthintelwe okanye kunyangwe izifo ezininzi ebeziphethel’ imbengwana intsapho yoluntu. Kodwa awafikelelanga kwizigidi ebeziwafuna. Ngokomphumo, ebudeni bamashumi amabini eminyaka edluleyo, malunga nekhulu lezigidi zabantwana bafe ngenxa yezifo zorhudo nezifumaneka ngokuphefumla kuphela. Ingxelo yeUNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 1990 yathi: “Kubonakala ngathi ekugqibeleni unyango lomhlaza luye lwafumaneka kodwa ke luncinane oluye lwasetyenziswa kule minyaka ingama-20.”

Phezu kwayo nje le meko imandundu, kuye kwenziwa inkqubela. Ngokomzekelo, iUNICEF neWHO (World Health Organisation [Intlangano YeHlabathi Yezempilo]) ziye zenza iphulo elikhulu lokuthintela izifo. Ngowe-1991 kwavakaliswa ukuba ama-80 ekhulwini abantwana behlabathi aye akhuselwa nxamnye nezifo ezithandathu ezinokuthintelwa ngokugonywa​—⁠imasisi, ukuminxana kwemihlathi, umqala omhlophe, ipoliyo, isifo sephepha nonkonkonko. Ndawonye nemigudu efanayo yokuthintela izifo zorhudo, oku kuye kwaphumela ekulondolozweni kobomi bezigidi ezininzi zabaselula nyaka ngamnye.

Kodwa kwiminyaka yakutshanje esinye isifo​—⁠uGawulayo⁠—​siye savela ukuze sisongele yaye ngokunokwenzeka sibuyisele emva yonke inkqubela eyenziweyo ekusindiseni abantwana baseAfrika kwiminyaka elishumi edluleyo. Ebudeni beshumi leminyaka yee-1990, uGawulayo usenokuqengq’ ugodo lize lihlanz’ iselwa kwabaselula abangange-2,7 lezigidi eAfrika kuphela. Ngonyaka wama-2000, izigidi ezithathu ukuya kwezihlanu ezongezelelekileyo zabantwana kuMbindi nakwiMpuma Afrika zisenokuba ziinkedama ngenxa yokuba abazali bazo bebulewe nguGawulayo.

Ukungondleki

Sonke siqhelene nombono olusizi ngokungaginyisi mathe wabantwana abangondlekanga abayimicinga ukubhitya, abanezisu ezithe puqa namehlo athe loxe engajonganga ntweni. Ezo ntsizi zabantwana zingumfanekiso nje omncinane wengxaki yokungondleki. Kuwo onke amazwe asakhasayo, malunga ne-177 lezigidi zabantwana​—⁠omnye kwabathathu⁠—​ulala engakhange ase nto phantsi kwempumlo. Yaye inani labo liyanda.

Ukungondleki okuzingisayo kuthintela abantwana ekufikeleleni amandla apheleleyo engqondo nawomzimba. Inkoliso yabantwana abangondlekanga ibuthathaka, idangele, inamehlo athe loxe, yaye ilusizi. Abadlali yaye bafunda kade kunabantwana abondlekileyo. Bakwachanabeke kakhulu kwizifo ezosulelayo, nto leyo engunobangela obalaseleyo nofak’ isandla ekufeni kwesithathu sabantwana abali-14 lezigidi bakumazwe asakhasayo minyaka le.

Kanye njengokuba inzululwazi yala maxesha iye yavelisa amayeza okulwa izifo, iye yenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukuveliswa nokusasazwa kokutya okuninzi ukuze kondliwe bonke abantu emhlabeni. Kodwa alukho uncedo olukhawulezileyo lokungondleki. Akunakupheliswa ngokuthunyelwa kokutya kwaneepilisi zeevithamini. Abona nobangela bako bubuhlwempu obungayekeleliyo, ukungakhathalelwa okwandileyo, amanzi angacocekanga, iimeko zokungabi nazindlu zangasese nokungabikho kwemihlaba yokulima kwimimandla ethwaxwa bubuhlwempu.

Iingxaki Zemeko-bume

Njengokuba amanqam emeko-bume yazwenibanzi esiya esiba nzulu, ngabantwana abangabona bachanabekileyo. Qwalasela ungcoliseko lomoya. Umntwana ongaphantsi kweminyaka emithathu ubudala xa ephumle usezela umlinganiselo womoya nongcoliso olukuwo ngokuphindwe kabini, xa kuthelekiswa nomntu omkhulu ophumlileyo. Yaye ekubeni izintso, izibindi neenkqubo zee-enzyme zabantwana zingekakhuli ngokupheleleyo, abakwazi ukuqhubana ngokunempumelelo nezingcoliso njengabantu abakhulu.

Ngaloo ndlela abantwana basengozini engakumbi kunabantu abakhulu kwiipetroli ezinelothe nakwiigesi ezinjengecarbon monoxide, iinitric oxide, nesulfur dioxide. Oku kuchanabeka kufak’ isandla ngokungqalileyo ekufeni kwe-4,2 lezigidi zabantwana abangaphantsi kweminyaka emihlanu abafa ngenxa yokwasuleleka ngokuphefumla nyaka ngamnye kumazwe asakhasayo. Abaninzi abasindileyo bakhula benezi-​fo zokuphefumla ezisisibetho kubo ubomi babo bonke.

Ekubeni besakhula ngokwasemzimbeni, abantwana bakwangabona bachanabeke ngakumbi kwimiphumo yokutya okungafanelekanga kunokuba benjalo abantu abakhulu. Kwilizwe emva kwelinye, abantwana bangabona balahlekelwa kakhulu kukuncipha kwamahlathi, ukwanda kweentlango nokukhukuliseka kwemihlaba esetyenzwe kakhulu yeefama, eya ingabi namveliso, yaye ivelise ukutya okuncinane. EAfrika kuphela bamalunga nama-39 ezigidi abantwana abaye ukukhula kwabo kwadodobala ngenxa yokungondleki.

Enye ingxaki eyongezelela kule kukunqongophala okuqatha kwamanzi alungileyo. Kuwo onke amazwe asakhasayo, kuphela sisiqingatha sabantwana abakwaziyo ukusebenzisa amanzi acocekileyo okusela, yaye bambalwa ngakumbi abanokusebenzisa izindlu zangasese.

Imfazwe

Kwixesha elidluleyo, inkoliso yamaxhoba emfazwe yayingamajoni. Akusenjalo ngoku. Ukususela kwimfazwe yesibini yehlabathi, ama-80 ekhulwini ezigidi ezingama-20 ezabulawayo nezingama-60 ezangxwelerhwayo kwiimfazwe ezahlukahlukeneyo ibingabantu abangabandakanyekanga emfazweni​—⁠inkoliso yabo ingamabhinqa nabantwana. Ngasihlandlo sithile ebudeni beminyaka yee-1980, abantwana abangama-25 eAfrika babesifa kwiyure nganye ngenxa yeemfazwe ezinjalo! Abantwana abaninzi baye babulawa, bangxwelerhwa, bashiywa, baziinkedama, okanye bathinjwa.

Izigidi zabantwana ngoku ezikhulela kwiinkampu zeembacu ngokufuthi abaziwa iintlanga abazizo yaye abafumani kutya kwaneleyo, ukunyanyekelwa ngokwezempilo nemfundo. Abaninzi bakufumanisa kungenakwenzeka ukufumana ubuchule obuya kubaqinisekisa ngokufumana umsebenzi ebuthweni.

Kodwa abantwana abaneli nje ukuba ngamaxhoba eemfazwe; bakwangabalwi ezimfazweni. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje abantwana abangama-200 000 abangaphantsi kweminyaka eli-15 ubudala baye bongeza inani lamajoni, baxhoba baza baqeqeshelwa ukubulala. Phakathi kwabo kukho abo baye baphulukana nobomi okanye amalungu abo omzimba njengokuba baye bathobela imiyalelo yokuvula iindlela kwimimandla enezigcayiseli.

Ukuxhatshazwa Kwabantwana

Kumazwe asakhasayo, ubuhlwempu bubangela abazali ukuba bathengise ngabantwana babo ngemali ephantsi ukuze bafumane into esiwa phantsi kwempumlo okanye bahlawule amatyala. Yintoni eyenzekayo kwaba bantwana? Abanye banyanzelelwa kubunongogo okanye ekubeni ngamakhoboka kubugxwayiba bamashishini abahlawula umvuzo omncinane. Abanye baphinda bathengiswe ngee-R27 500 ngabantu ababebathengile okanye ngamaziko aseNtshona agcina abantwana.

Ubungqina bubonisa ukuba ubunongogo babantwana buyanda yaye bubandakanya abona bantwana bancinane, amakhwenkwe namantombazana. EBrazil kuphela, kuqikelelwa ukuba bangama-500-​000 oonongogo abakwishumi elivisayo. Ukufundiswa kwabantwana izinto ezingamanyala nako kuyanda yaye kuye kwakhuthazwa nangezixhobo ezifumaneka lula zevideo.

Izinto Eziza Kuqala

Kunzima ukuqonda intlungu nokubandezeleka okuboniswa ngala manani. Okulusizi kukuba amanani azizigidi okanye amawaka awakwazi ukusibonisa ubunzulu bokubandezeleka. Kodwa, uninzi lwethu luyayazi indlela ekubuhlungu ngayo ukubukela ukubandezeleka okanye ukufa komntwana omnye nje kuphela​—⁠umntu onobuntu bakhe obukhethekileyo, umphefumlo oxabisekileyo kuThixo, umntu onelungelo lokuphila nelokuqhubela phambili njengaye nabani na ongomnye.

Bengachithanga xesha lininzi beqwalasela umbandela ongayolisiyo wesizathu sokuba imeko yabantwana ibe yile nto iyiyo, abameli bamazwe kwiNgqungquthela Yehlabathi Ngemicimbi Yabantwana bathetha bophela ngekamva baza benza isigqibo sokuba abasayi kuphinda bayinyamezele loo meko kwakhona. Baseka “Icebo Lokuthabatha Amanyathelo” baza benza izigqibo zokuba, phakathi kwezinye izinto, baphumeze ezi njongo zilandelayo ngonyaka wama-2000:

◻ Ukunciphisa ngesinye kwisithathu inani labantwana abangaphantsi kweminyaka emihlanu ubudala abafa ngowe-1990.

◻ Ukunciphisa ukungondleki okuqatha nokungephi kubantwana abangaphantsi kweminyaka emihlanu ubudala ukusa kwisiqingatha somlinganiselo wowe-1990.

◻ Ukuqaliswa kokubonelelwa koluntu zwenibanzi ngamanzi acocekileyo okusela nezindlu zangasese.

◻ Ukukhusela abantwana kwiimeko ezinzima ngokukhethekileyo, ngokukodwa kwiimeko zeemfazwe.

Indleko ezongezelelekileyo zale nkqubo yokuphumeza ezi njongo zisenokuthintela ukufa kwabantwana abangama-50 ezigidi kwiminyaka yee-1990 ziye zaqikelelwa kwisi-R6,9 samawaka ezigidi ngonyaka.

Leyo asiyomali enkulu kwimeko yazwenibanzi. Ngonyaka omnye iinkampani zaseMerika zichitha kangangesi-R6,9 samawaka ezigidi ekubhengezeni imidiza. Ngosuku olunye ihlabathi lichitha isi-R6,9 samawaka ezigidi emkhosini.

Sithetha nje, inkcitho yezomkhosi​—⁠iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziqikelela ukuba ingaphezu kwamawaka amathathu ezigidi zeerandi nyaka ngamnye⁠—​ingaphezu kwengeniso edityanisiweyo efunyanwa sisiqingatha sabona bantu bangamahlwempu. Ukuthatyathwa nje kwesi-5 ekhulwini kwesi sityhwentywe semali bekuya kwanela ukukhawulezisa inkqubela yokufikelela iinjongo zaloo ngqungquthela. Ngokomzekelo, ixabiso lenqwelo-moya yokulwa enye eyiF/A-18 (elingaphezulu kwama-R83 ezigidi) lilingana nexabiso lezinto zokugonya ukuze kukhuselwe abantwana abangama-400 ezigidi nxamnye nezifo ezibulalayo.

Iintlanga zinako ukuhlangabezana namabhongo eenjongo ezabekwa yiloo ngqungquthela. Zinolwazi, ubugcisa nemali. Umbuzo ngulo, Ngaba ziya kukwenza oko?

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Ukulwa Nokungondleki

Iingongoma Ezintandathu Abazali Abafanele Bazazi

1. Ubisi lwebele lulodwa kokona kutya kulunge kakhulu kwiinyanga zokuqala ezine ukuya kwezintandathu zobomi bomntwana. Lumnika isondlo esaneleyo luze lumkhusele umntwana kwizifo ezasulelayo.

2. Xa eneenyanga ezine ukuya kwezintandathu ubudala, umntwana ufuna okunye ukutya. Ukumqalisa ukutya okuqinileyo ngaphambi kwexesha kwandisa ukuchanabeka kwakhe kwizifo ezasulelayo; ukukuqalisa sekusemva kwexesha kukhokelela kukungondleki.

3. Umntwana ongaphantsi kweminyaka emithathu ubudala ufanele ondliwe ngokufuthi njengomntu omkhulu, ngemilinganiselo engephi yokutya okunesondlo.

4. Ukutya nokusela akufanele kuyekwe xa umntwana egula okanye enorhudo.

5. Emva kokugula, umntwana ufanele atye ukutya okongezelelekileyo ngosuku kangangeveki ukuze akwazi ukufumana ukukhula ebephulukene nako.

6. Ubuncinane kubalulekile ngomama ukuhlala ithuba leminyaka emibini ngaphambi kokuba nomnye umntwana ukuze umama nomntwana bondleke baze babe sempilweni.

[Inkcazelo]

Source: United Nations Children Fund

UNICEF/C/91/Roger Lemoyne

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]

Kuphela sisiqingatha sabantwana abasehlabathini abakwaziyo ukufumana amanzi okusela acocekileyo

[Inkcazelo]

UNICEF/3893/89/Maggie Murray-Lee

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Umntwana ngamnye, enobuntu bakhe obukhethekileyo, uxabisekile kuThixo yaye unelungelo elingakumbi lokukhula njengaye nabani na ongomnye

[Inkcazelo]

Photo: Cristina Solé/Godo-Foto