Story by Mercy Bofu-Matinha
IN the face of increasing cases of child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancies, the Parliament of Zimbabwe has launched an awareness campaign in Masvingo in partnership with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services.
Marching for a cause from Rujeko Secondary School to Masvingo Polytechnic College, school children, women, and youths are sending a clear message on the importance of protecting children from abuse, rape and teenage pregnancies.
“Today’s campaign is a bold step towards protecting children from abuse, rape and teenage pregnancies. We are happy that all relevant stakeholders are present from the police, government representatives and parliamentarians. Many times, children are victims and are silenced due to many reasons hence, all these are discussed today,” Junior Parliamentarian for Masvingo Urban, Honourable Lubalethu Nkomo said.
The campaign, being spearheaded by the Parliament of Zimbabwe, also sought to empower the citizenry with information about the law and how to get assistance in case of abuse.
“Our campaign is guided by four clear objectives that address both the complexity of our challenges and the boldness of our vision for a better future. First, we are here to raise awareness of child abuse, rape, and SRHR issues affecting children and young people, particularly the troubling rise in teenage pregnancies. Second, we seek to empower victims and survivors. Third, we aim to promote access to SRHR services, including counselling and testing and lastly, we are here to engage the community in honest and open dialogue about the protection of children and youth,” Deputy Speaker of Parliament Honourable Tsitsi Gezi said.
“As Parliament, we have a role to play in ensuring the enactment of laws and policies that protect our children from abuse. Again, we advocate for the allocation of resources that allow more awareness campaigns against child abuse. In terms of legislation we have got laws that protect our children, what we want is implementation,” Member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care, Honourable Thokozani Khupe added.
Officially launching the campaign, Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Ezra Chadzamira, said the government remains committed to ensuring the safety and empowerment of children, women and youths.
“Through this campaign, we are creating platforms where survivors can share their stories, stories of pain, but also of resilience. These platforms will not only provide healing spaces but also inspire systemic change by amplifying survivor voices.”
The government is actively working to protect children from abuse through legal reforms, awareness campaigns, and strengthening support systems.
This comes after the government adopted legislation that criminalises child marriages and sexual exploitation, a significant step towards protecting girls from early and forced unions.
