Child marriages ruling a victory for girl child - PDP Chair

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) leadership and especially its women constituency joins the entire nation in celebrating the Constitutional Court (Concourt) ruling made on Wednesday banning early child marriages and setting the age of marriage for both boys and girls at 18 years.

The PDP takes this opportunity to congratulate the two young women, Loveness Mudzuru and Ruvimbo Tsopodzi, for filing the application at the ConCourt against the primitive practice and inhuman practice.

However, we note with concern that the Zanu PF government, which has absolute control of Parliament and the Executive, has failed since 2013 in actualizing the provisions of the new Constitution so that the people of Zimbabwe enjoy their rights as guaranteed and enshrined in the supreme law of the land.

It is sad that Zanu PF is instead busy in petty factional politics and succession wars while the girl child in Zimbabwe is suffering.

However, we find solace that landmark ConCourt ruling comes after years of struggle and debate on the issue which has seen thousands of young women suffer at the hands of elders who they look up to for protection.

As women, we know how excruciating it is for a girl child to give birth to a child and look after a child and a husband.
The ruling comes timely as the practice of child marriages was becoming rampant and on the increase in the country.

As a result, a great number of these children were dropping out of primary school and becoming mothers at a very young and tender age in the process ruining their lives.

Child marriages have been a recipe for poverty, are demeaning, rob children their childhood and putting them in danger of contracting diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Therefore, as PDP, we call for stiffer penalties on any person who is found to be in breach of the new ruling and protect the Bill of Rights.  We urge the government to urgently align the ruling with the Constitution and criminalise any breaches.
We also urge all stakeholders including the churches, traditional leaders and the civic society to play their part in raising awareness in all sectors.

The PDP will is prepared to work with progressive forces in ensuring that we renew Zimbabwean politics and laws through smart brand of politics.  It is time to convert, Zimbabwe's vicious cycles of exclusion into virtuous circles of inclusion.