In search of culturally sensitive social work practice in the care and protection of children in Zimbabwe: The case of Remba/Lemba culture

Abstract

This paper examines the interface between cultural rites and social work. Often, the case is that cultural rites have been denigrated and vilified as primitive, oppressive and antithetical to the post-modern era to which the social work profession subscribes. This has dissuaded social workers from acknowledging positive aspects of African cultural rituals that could be tapped to advance the goals of the social work profession. We examine the subject using the Lemba/Remba cultural rites of initiating adolescents into adulthood. The paper contends that it remains vital for social workers to champion children’s rights within the context of African indigenous traditions as Lemba/Remba culture.

Key Terms: Social Work, human rights, cultural diversity, rites of passage, Lemba, Remba, Zimbabwe, South Africa