Child Protection: GCZ recommended minors to desist from sexual cultural practices.

Child Protection: GCZ recommended minors to desist from sexual cultural practices

By Letwin Mubonesi

In the Shangaani culture in Chiredzi, young girls and boys are taught sexual skills in preparation for adulthood and boys are circumcised after the initiation.

However, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) shunned this cultural practice. They recommended that children below the age of 18 should be protected from participating in cultural practises of a sexual nature in local communities. It is said that it arouses their sexual desires prematurely.

ZGC legal and investigations manager Tinashe Mazani stated in meeting hosted by the Zimbabwe Peace Project, that the recommendation followed an investigation on the implications of cultural sexual practices on sexual and reproductive health services in communities.

The investigation was conducted following complaints by community members in 2019 that sex workers were abusing young boys who were initiated in the sexual cultural practices. This resulted in a spike in cases of sexually transmitted infections.

 “In principle, the khomba initiation is done for children who are above 18 in line with section 81 of the constitution. There should be strict enforcement of the age limit of the initiation by the local leadership. In order to reduce child marriages, minors should be barred from the khomba,” said Mazani.

He added: “There is limited knowledge of sexual and reproductive health issues. There is need for extensive awareness, specialising on HIV and AIDS in order to stop further engagement in risky sexual behaviour.”

Mazani said failure to access identity documents was a limiting factor in verifying the age of the participants however,  the government through the Health ministry, had intervened to ensure safe circumcision of the boys in the Chilonga community through provision of the necessary equipment and qualified medical personnel to curb the spread of diseases.