By Theophilus Chuma, Features Editor
CHILD protection organisations are concerned that the country could be sitting on several cases of child sexual exploitation after two young girls aged nine fell pregnant.
Spine chilling stories of 9-year-old pregnant girls, one of which has already given birth at the United Bulawayo Hospitals could just be the tip of the iceberg on the deep-sitting crisis facing young girls in the country.
Child rights protection organisations fear there could be more cases going unreported.
“What has happened to these two girls is just the tip of the iceberg. We fear there could be more that are yet to be unearthed because these are happening within family units where sometimes it can go unreported,” said Veronica Nhemachena the chairperson of Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children.
Legislators will be looking to expedite the finalisation and implementation of child rights laws that are currently before parliament.
“We are looking at expediting the Child Justice Bill and Children’s Amendment Bill which are currently before Parliament. We will make sure that we need to insist on implementation. That transformation is what we require,” said Dr Matthew Nyashanu the chairperson of the Parliamentary Child Rights Caucus.
Since 2021, the country has recorded baffling incidents of child abuse with the case of 14-year-old Anna Machaya, who died while giving birth at a shrine in Manicaland province last year, torching a storm over the vice affecting the girl child.
