from MARCUS MUSHONGA in Harare, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Bureau
HARARE, (CAJ News) – YET another underage girl has died while giving birth at an apostolic sect shrine in Zimbabwe.
She has been identified as Nokutenda Hwaramba, aged 15.
The United Nations (UN) in Zimbabwe condemned the death.
It noted that all forms of violence and early forced marriages contravene the Convention on the Rights of the Child to which Zimbabwe is a signatory.
“The United Nations in Zimbabwe urges the authorities to conduct investigations into this matter and to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice,” the UN stated.
Only recently, Zimbabwe received global praise for tackling child marriages.
Under the Zimbabwe Spotlight Initiative Country programme, a High-Level Political Compact (HLPC) to end violence against women and girls and harmful practices including child marriages was signed by the government.
Subsequently, the country enacted a Child Marriage Act which prohibits marriage of children under 18 years and the Constitutional Court ruled this year that the legal age of sexual consent be raised from 16 to 18 years in May 2022.
“The UN calls for enforcement of national laws and policies to ensure full protection of young girls from all forms of sexual violence and harmful practices.”
Last year, the death of Memory Machaya (14), who gave birth at church shrine, prompted outrage among citizens and activists.
– CAJ News