NHF-Zimbabwe's first  Art Competition: using the  day of the African child 2020 theme, Access to Child-Friendly Justice Systems in Africa.

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In 2020 COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, business and schools were closed and confusion engulfed many people including children who were the most affected, seeing these challenge and unable to go on the ground the Chairperson, Country Director and members of the NHF-Zimbabwe decided to commemorate the Day of the African Child virtually, spicing up the moods of children through an art competition, although we had no funding we managed to do something for and with children, we stood with all children who are in the African justice system.

Millions of children throughout Africa don't have access to justice, for instance, African justice systems are often hard to reach; courts are usually situated in large towns. In most countries children are arrested and detained together with hardcore criminals, this affects them as they will end up being criminals from the experience they have learned on committing a crime while in jail. Child-friendly justice should start from the day the child is arrested to the day they are taken to court or are convicted.

 (Mahmooda Khan ) Chairperson NHF-Zimbabwe, and Deputy Executive Chairperson NHF-GN  

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“Community art is a process of harnessing the transformative power of original artistic expression and producing a range of outcomes: social, cultural, and environmental. Looking at politically, socially, culturally, and/or economically, community arts aim to establish and maximize inclusive ways of working, providing an opportunity for communities and their participants to continue to find ways to develop their own skills as artists and for artists to explore ways of transferring those skills. Through this process, community arts aim to maximize the access, participation, authorship, and ownership in collective art practice.” (E. Mcloud Z. Shangwa Executive Chairperson, New Hope Foundation Global Network.

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Art competitions are a means of reaching out to children and support their integrative mental health affected by the effects of the pandemic, believing and having research evidence that support  art as a therapy that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship, Art therapy effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.

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See Drawings  from our 2020 Child Rights Art competition winner here.

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