f: ~· ~· ·• ~.···· '·,__ Zirnbabv,'e ' t· ...<" l.· HUMAN RIGHTS! f N G0 Fu r u m /1 .1 • \... ; r '.__ -'. ! ) ~ t constitution of Zimbabwe defines a child as L~ge of 18 years" Child n1arriage also referred to as "early "every boy and girl under the marriage" and "child brides" is marriage of a and sets the minimum child under the age of 18 years. The minimum years. Hov\'ever the Customary l\darriaaes Act . b age of 18 is considered appropriate to ensure does not provide a minimum rnarriageable age that children are able to 0rrive their free and full and has therefore been abused to justify cl1ild consent to marry, marriages. and are mentally, marriugeL~ble age at 18. psychologically and physically developed enough for the responsibilities and ~md consequences of marriage. Although the The African Charter on the Rights definition of child marriage includes both \Velfa.re of the Child (ACR'i·VC} prohibits sexes, the girl child is most affected, as the child marriage and the betrothal of boys and majority of victims are girls. Child marriage is a girls, in article 21. In addition, ArticJe 16(1) of human rights violation that robs children of the ACR1VC obligates the state parties to; toke their childhood and prevents them from spcc~fic obtaining an education, enjoying optimal cducntionnl mcnsurcs to protect tl1c child from nil health, bonding with others of their mvn age, forms of torture, inln11111111 or dcgmding trentmcnt maturing, and uJtimately choosing their mvn nnd cspccinlly pl1ysicnl or mcntnl injury or nb11:::c life partners. neglect or mnltrcntmcnt including scxunl nhusc. legislntiuc, ndministrniiuc, socinl nnd while in the cnrc of n pnrcnt, lcg111 g1inrdinn or school authority or nny other pcr:::oncl'lw hns cnrc of the child. Indeed Africa is scaling up efforts to domestic, end child marriage. In June 2014 the African regional and international legislation. The Union Commission launched an African Child marriages are outlavved in n-~e Buiiding . ?'•./a!io11dl Commitmc:nr Tuwanls a Jiuman RighTs Cuhure