Child sexual abusers to face life imprisonment in Zimbabwe

More than 1,000 high school girls in Zimbabwe's capital of Harare marched to the Parliament on Monday in appreciation of the passing of a law to give penalties of up to life imprisonment to people convicted of child sexual abuse.

The march was organized by the Victim Friendly Unit together with schools around Harare.

The criminal law codification and reform act, which has provisions for life sentence to sexual abusers, was passed into law in July this year and comes at a time when cases of child sexual abuses are on increase.

Chairperson of the victim friendly court magistrate Betty Chidziva said the enactment of the new legislation will give protection to children who are vulnerable to abuse.

"We are happy that the criminal codification and reform act has been passed into law and this march is meant to sent a message to would-be sexual abusers that they will not be spared," he said.

Harare provincial education director Tomax Dhobha said as custodians of children, the Education Ministry has put in place various programs that recognize the rights of children in cases of abuse.

He revealed that the Education Ministry has no jurisdiction on some cases and has to report them to the police, but emphasized that schools are safe places where the rights of the child are safeguarded.

Childline training manager Lovemore Nechibvute noted that although his organization has dealt with more cases of child sexual abuse this year, there is a sign that children are more empowered and aware of their rights.

He urged the government and other stakeholders to come together and deal away with any practice that infringes on the rights of children.

Zimbabwe has of late recorded a high number of child sexual abuse cases. Statistics have revealed that 2,000 rape victims have died of HIV/AIDS from 1998 to 2004.

Source: Xinhua