WESE drafts model bill on age of consent, access t...

WESE drafts model bill on age of consent, access to SRHR services

**WESE Executive Director, Sabrina Kundai Chambara**

Patricia Mashiri

The Women Economic and Social Empowerment, an organisation that creates awareness and advocates for the rights of women in Zimbabwe has drafted a model bill on age of consent and access to sexual reproductive health rights services, which is set to be handed over to the Tenth Parliament.

This comes after the President has gazetted a Statutory Instrument 2 of 24, which is the Criminal Laws and Protection of Children and Young Persons. The S.I states the age of consent was raised to 18 years and comes as a temporary measure.

Speaking to Zim Now on the sidelines of the meeting on presentation of the draft model bill, Sabrina Kundai Chambara, the Executive Director of WESE said the continuous suffering of minors led them into drafting this.

“WESE’s commitment to protecting minors’ rights, addressing health disparities, promoting empowerment and education, and ensuring equitable access to essential healthcare services for all individuals has pushed has pushed us into drafting this bill.

“Individuals below the age of 18 are legally prohibited from having sexual intercourse but in reality, we have child pregnancies, abortions within the range of age groups below 18 years,” Chambara said.

She also highlighted that the finalised bill should clearly state age of sexual consent offenses and sentencing. This includes the amendment of the Criminal Codification and Reform Act 9.23, Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act 9.07 and Public Health Act, Medicines and Allied Substance Control Act 15.03 and Children’s Act 5.06

Speaking on the same platform, Susan Mutsunga, Member of Parliament for Budiriro North, said the gazetted statutory instrument was temporary and when the timeline was over the perpetrators w continue with their violation hence this was a good move by WESE.

**Budiriro North MP, Susan Matsungo, speaks during the meeting on the presentation of the draft model bill**

“At the end of the day, we need to come up with something that will be supported. We need to have a powerful bill that will be supported by everyone and benefit other generations to come.

“The issue of abortion is a pertinent issue. We need safe framework that will protect the girl child.”

She emphasised that there was need to do a follow-up on the draft Bill until it is finalised into an act.

Another Member of Parliament, Juliana Makuvire from Harare Province, emphasised that there was need for multi-sectorial approach in dealing with access to SRHR services.

“We need to work together so that we uphold our children’s future. There is also an issue of drug and substance abuse, which needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

“Communities need to be taught about these things so that when they see children being abused should help by reporting to responsible authorities,” she said.

The S.I which was gazetted is valid for six months. Previously, the age of sexual consent was gazetted at 16 years and that of marriage was 18.