What You Need to Know
Thirty Mozambican minors were rescued from child labour in Zimbabwe, where they were found engaged in informal street vending and assisting visually impaired adults. They, along with nine adults, were deported back to Mozambique, where authorities provided immediate assistance and initiated family reunification efforts.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. Thirty Mozambican minors were rescued in recent days from Zimbabwe, where they were being exploited in child labour. In addition to these minors, nine adults with visual impairments were also found, and all were deported back to Mozambique via the Machipanda road border post in Manica province.
According to Abílio Mate, spokesperson for the Provincial Directorate of Migration in Manica, all were intercepted in the streets of Chipinge and Harare. Some of the minors were engaged in informal street vending, while others acted as guides for visually impaired adults involved in begging.
“This is a worrying situation, particularly as it involves minors exposed to social risk and exploitation,” said Mate, adding that the group declared, in a joint hearing, that they came from the districts of Chimoio, Manica, and Dombe in Manica province.
The reception of the deportees was handled by a multi-sector team including officials from Migration, the Provincial Directorate for Gender, Minors and Social Action (DPGCAS), and the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
The authorities provided immediate assistance and began referral procedures aimed at family reunification and social support for the minors.
Officials also warned of a rise in irregular migration involving minors, a phenomenon that exposes them to child labour, forced begging, and other forms of exploitation.
Mate called on parents and guardians to exercise greater vigilance, emphasising that illegal border crossings put both the safety and the future of minors at risk.
Child labour remains a significant issue in many regions, including Mozambique, where economic hardship drives families to seek work opportunities abroad. The exploitation of minors in neighboring countries, particularly in informal sectors, highlights the vulnerabilities faced by these children. Authorities are increasingly focusing on the need for protective measures and community awareness to combat this growing trend of irregular migration and child exploitation. The recent rescue operation underscores the importance of vigilance among parents and the role of government agencies in safeguarding children’s rights.
