Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporter 

A local political party, the Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats (LEAD), has written a petition to the Parliament of Zimbabwe rejecting a recent petition by the Advocacy Core Team (ACT) — Compass Project which seeks to promote access to sexual reproductive health services for adolescents and young people in Zimbabwe.

According to LEAD, the petition by ACT was likely to expose the girl child to sexual abuse, as perpetrators could take advantage. 

“This petition aims at protecting the girl child from adult male predators who want to make girl children from the ages of 15 and under their preferred sexual objects,” reads the petition. “It is founded on the need to expose the intellectual deception hidden in the insidious petition which was submitted by Advocacy Core Team (ACT) in an attempt to promote access to Reproductive Health Services for Adolescents and Young People in Zimbabwe.” 

The development also comes after Gwanda residents recently rejected the petition.

 The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care and the Thematic Committee on HIV and Aids has also been conducting public hearings across the country on the petition.

The petition, among other issues, is advocating for children aged 12 years and above to be allowed access to reproductive health services.

In Gweru, residents rallied against the petition, while civil society organisations have been mobilising residents in Bulawayo to turn up at hearings and register displeasure about the petition.