Evictions forced Zimbabweans into sex industry

MASS evictions in Zimbabwe six years ago have left thousands of displaced children without education and even forced some to seek work in the sex industry to support their families, rights group Amnesty International said.

The government at the time said the nationwide eviction of 700,000 people from homes and market stalls in urban centres was intended to clear slums. The programme was called Operation Murambatsvina, which in the Shona language means “clean out the filth”.

Amnesty said that demolished schools were not replaced and adequate schooling was not provided for the children. Many of their parents lost their livelihoods and could no longer pay for school. That “struck a devastating blow to the lives and dreams of thousands of children,” it said.