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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
SENATORS have recommended that Government amends legislation on sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) and provide contraceptives to sexually active minors by June next year.

Senators said while Section 35 of the Public Health Act states that adults aged 18 years and above should be given access to SRHR, there is evidence that the minors were indulging in sexual activities.

They said the health ministry should be guided by the situation on the ground as opposed to religious and social pressures.

This is contained in the joint report of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care and Thematic Committee on HIV and Aids following a petition from the Advocacy Core Team (ACT) on the age of consent to accessing reproductive health care services by the adolescents and young persons in Zimbabwe.

The report was tabled before Senate last Thursday by Zanu-PF Senator for Mashonaland Central Cde Eleven Kambizi representing the two Parliamentary committees.

Cde Kambizi said the joint committees considered submissions made by members of the public before coming up with its recommendation.

“Adolescents are not a homogenous group of people; hence the Ministry of Health and Child Care should provide case by case assessment of this diverse group in order to provide for their varying Sexual Reproductive Health Right (SRHR) needs especially the at-risk adolescents and young persons by December 2021,” said Cde Kambizi.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Care should amend Section 35 of the Public Health Act to provide SRHR services for young people under the age of 18 years and provide for the protection of the service providers by June 2022. Furthermore, service providers should be trained on how to provide friendly SRHR services to adolescents and young persons by April 2022.”

He said the committee also recommended that the health ministry should establish friendly and convenient SRHR corners by June next year.

Cde Kambizi said to curb abuse of the girl child, the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs should amend relevant legislations to provide for more deterrent sentences to perpetrators of child sexual abuse or rapists or child sexual exploitation.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and MoHCC should immediately ensure that pregnant girls in school access SRHR services without difficulties. The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation should provide recreational facilities for adolescents and young persons in Zimbabwe in order to occupy themselves reasonably by December 2022,” said Cde Kambizi.

“The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should allocate substantial budget to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in the 2022 National Budget to enable it to provide the social protection measures for the vulnerable adolescents and young persons in Zimbabwe in meeting their financial needs.”

The Senator said while teenagers are reportedly indulging in sexual activities at an early age, 59 percent of boys and girls in the 15-19 age groups do not have sufficient knowledge or information on sexual reproductive health.

This could be contributing to 22 percent of teenagers falling pregnant nationally with most of the pregnancies recorded in rural areas.

“It was observed that early puberty may be due to inorganic food or lifestyles. Thus, as children develop physically faster than their real age, it changes how they think about themselves and how people relate to them socially.

“Consequently, young persons were more likely to hang out with friends older than themselves who engage in risky behaviours such as early sexual behaviour and substance abuse,” said Cde Kambizi.

It was noted that economic challenges among young people in Zimbabwe and their diverse backgrounds were forcing them to eke out a living by selling sex.

Absence of social safety net for the orphans and vulnerable children further intensify their dire situation. — @nqotshilli