The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC) has called on Parliament expedite the passing of the Marriages Bill (2019) into law, to align marriage laws to sections 78 and 81 of the Constitution.
This alignment will help curb child marriages.
In view of the ongoing Anna Machaya’s case, a close look at statistics shows that more than 650 women alive today were married before the age of 18.
Approximately one in three girls is married before 18 – the legal age of majority.
ZYC chairperson Chiedza Juru told a press conference that they will lobby lawmakers to consider amending laws to ensure a minimum mandatory sentence for child abuse.
“We will create more platforms for educating all citizens, especially children and those living in communities afflicted by child marriages on the rights of children expressed in our Constitution and the convention on the rights of the child to ensure that we prevent child marriages from taking place.
“Through the Junior Parliamentarian program, we will work with the elected parliamentarians from the 210 constituencies to educate children in their communities.
“We will continue to advocate for laws, policies and programs that protect our girls and empower their communities,” she said.
“We call on the Parliament of Zimbabwe to pass the Marriages Bill (2019) into law as a matter of urgency to align marriage laws to sections 78 and 81 of the Constitution which states that anyone below the age of 18 years is a child and that marriage with children below the ages of 18 is prohibited.
“We will lobby lawmakers to consider amending laws to ensure a minimum mandatory sentence for perpetrators of child abuse.
“The ZYC will use the 29th Junior Parliamentary official opening platform to take these issues to parliament for debate and action.”
