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Ellah Mukwati Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe last week launched the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence commemorated globally, with Government urging parents and guardians to keep girls in school as a way of ending child marriages. Addressing a press conference in Harare last week, Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Nyasha Chikwinya said there was need to reinforce the importance of education in helping girls stay in schools and out of marriage.

“The focus of this year’s commemorations is on keeping girls in school as a panacea for ending child marriages. We are reinforcing the idea that education is very critical in helping girls stay in school and out of marriage,” she said.

“I, therefore, urge my colleagues in Government to put in place measures to ensure that education is available to girls and to address the factors that threaten the ability of families to keep girls in school.” Minister Chikwinya said Government was concerned with the rising cases of rape, especially among minors.

She said the sentences passed by the courts were a cause for concern and had been identified as a contributing factor to the perpetration of these crimes. “I will soon be tabling a proposal on mandatory sentences for rape before Cabinet,” she said. “The proposal is meant to provide deterrent sentences for rape.

“We are pushing for a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years for rape and life sentences for child rapists. The proposal has received tremendous support from the women of Zimbabwe from all walks of life, Members of Parliament, traditional leaders, civil society organisations and child rights activists.”