HARARE – The Government of Zimbabwe has, with immediate effect, criminalised sexual intercourse with anyone below the age of 18.
Cabinet last Tuesday approved principles to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill that will criminalise sexual activity with anyone below the age of 18 as the Government seeks to harmonise laws relating to age of consent.
While the Constitution defines children as those below the age of 18, the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act defined a young child as one who is below 16 years, thereby creating a gap in the law which would possibly expose children above 16 to sexual exploitation.
Raising the age from 16 to 18 years is also part of the Government’s alignment with the Constitution, which defines a child as someone aged below 18 years. New Ziana