Poverty major cause of child marriages as 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s households are headed by children

The Ministry has also worked with organisations such as Musasa, Women’s Action Group (WAG) and Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA), Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) just to mention a few.  The Ministry has put in place measures to make sure that women in prisons get adequate sanitary wear during their times of serving.  Plans are also under way to look at ways that we can assist female prisoners with adequate sanitary wear.  The Ministry is currently mobilising stakeholders and resources to assist sanitary provisions for prisoners.  At present, we have initiated a pilot project in Masvingo District targeting schools and communities in partnership with SNV, a non-governmental organisation from the Netherlands where reusable sanitary wear is provided in communities and schools.  If the programme is successful, the Ministry intends to replicate it to all the other communities and institutions such as prisons.  The Ministry will team up with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to see to it that business companies that produce sanitary wear supports this cause by way of supplies in their social security commitment.

There was a question of clarity on whether the Ministry has any policy relating to the monitoring on the use of condoms by female students in the institutions of higher learning.  Mr. President Sir, in relation to monitoring the use of condoms by females in the institutions of higher learning, it is a noble cause to analyse and understand the use of condoms in institutions of higher learning.  However, this question can be best answered by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education for further elaboration because they have put some statutory issues in place so that it conforms to the level of society that they are dealing with.  I propose that the Hon. Member visits the Ministry of Health and Child Care for appropriate information on this one so that we share the proper and relevant knowledge.

In conclusion, the Ministry would like to thank Hon. Senator Chimbudzi who raised the questions.  However, we implore upon all Hon. Members – that the job of ending child marriages has to be approached in a cluster form and to be everybody’s business.  Let me emphasise this point by saying – i nhimbe iyoyi/li limasibili leli and it requires a joint venture by Hon. Senators and the traditional leadership in our constituencies.  The causes are rooted in family lifestyles.  Therefore, the first socio related prerogative is, we humbly say to Hon. Senators is to oversee rightful and legal social practices  in our constituencies in addition to that of passing Bills into Acts and working side by side with Hon. Members from the Lower House to develop our constituencies on the social side.

Let us continually encourage parents to instill discipline and to practice good moral behaviours for as parents, we are the custodians of good morals that children emulate.  Let me state this Mr. President of the Senate, “The boy or girl who is born of a father and a daughter, will grow up and when they get to the Registrar’s Office, they will need to answer questions like, “Who is your mother”, and the answer is Stabile.  The father’s name is the name of Stabile’s father.  Therefore, untwana lo uzabiza esithini abakonina?  The topic has torn apart our family values and social fabric.  I thank you Mr. President.

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