Yatima: Mtoto ambaye wazazi wake wamekufa au wamewaacha kabisa

Kwa kawaida mtoto aliyewapoteza wazazi wake wote wawili anaitwa yatima.

Watu wazima pia wanaweza kuitwa mayatima. Ingawaje, watu waliofikia utu uzima kabla wazazi wao hawajafariki kwa kawaida hawaitwi hivyo.

Kwa ujumla hili ni neno ambalo hutumika kuelezea watoto ambao wazazi wao walifariki kabla ya wao kufikia umri wa kujitegemea.

Watoto yatima mara nyingi huishi katika ukoo wa wazazi, katika nyumba ya yatima au kwa walezi. Katika nchi maskini pasipo mfumo mzuri wa nyumba za yatima kuna idadi kubwa ya mayatima wanaopaswa kuishi kwa kuombaomba au kutafuta riziki kwa kufanya kazi duni na hatari.

Kama yatima anaasiliwa na walezi anakuwa mtoto wao kisheria ingawa hali hii inaweza kuwa tofauti kulingana na sheria za nchi mbalimbali; hasa nchi nyingi za Kiislamu hazikubali mfumo wa kuasili kamili ila tu mfumo wa "kafala" ambayo ni aina ya ulezi ambapo mtoto anayepokelewa kisheria haitazamiwi kama mwanaukoo.

Vitabu mbalimbali vya dini, vikiwemo vile vya Biblia na Kurani , vinasema sana kuhusu watoto yatima ili kutetea haki zao na kuhimiza huruma kwao. Muhammad mwenyewe alikuwa yatima.

 

Mayatima si wengi katika nchi zilizoendelea, lakini ni wengi katika nchi zinazoendelea au zenye vita.

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