The impact of the identity documents crisis on the access of education to the girl child in Epworth, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Birth registration is an inalienable human right for each and every individual and it helps in protecting and promoting the rights of children from exploitation, abuse and those who face social exclusion especially in education attainment. The study sought to establish the effects of lack of identification documents on girls’ education attainment in Epworth with the following objectives with following objectives: To document the current status of girl child education in Epworth, to investigate the nexus between national identity documents and girl child education in Epworth and to ascertain the barriers that hinder access to identity documentation in Zimbabwe. The overall objective of the study was to find out the nexus between identity documents and educational attainment for the girl child in Epworth. The study adopted the Systems theory and the Human Capital Theory. The study adopted descriptive research design and mixed methods research. Data collection involved administration of questionnaires to the girls from Domboramwari and Overspill in Epworth and conducting Key Informant Interviews. The target population was eighty (80) girls from whom a sample of sixty-nine(69) respondents was obtained using a stratified random sampling. The target for key informants was ten (10) from the Registrar’s ministries and relevant line ministries and CSOs working in the terrain of child rights advancement from whom a sample of seven (7) was obtained. Ethical issues such as confidentiality and informed consent were considered. Moreso, parents were also informants for this study from a target of twenty (20) a sample of fourteen (14) was drawn. To achieve the above objectives, the study adopted an exploratory case study design where both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. Data was analysed using both quantitatively and qualitatively using descriptive (SPSS), inferential and content analysis respectively. The study found out that quite a number of girls in Epworth do not have birth certificates and are currently out of school. The study also found out that the birth registration system in Zimbabwe is still highly centralized and that the RG’S Office has got limited capacity to ensure 100% registration as it has got resources constraints. Finally, the study recommends that there should be development of national strategic plan on birth registration, decentralization of the RG’s office and increased commitment by the government on issues pertaining birth registration.