President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law the Criminal Laws Amendment (Protection of Children and Young Persons) Bill, 2024, significantly strengthening child protection measures by raising the age of consent to 18.
The new law, which was passed by the National Assembly in July and later by the Senate on Tuesday, brings Zimbabwe in line with its own Constitution, which sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 and defines young people as those under 18.
This move follows a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court in May 2022, which found that the previous Criminal Law Code inadequately protected children between the ages of 16 and 18 from sexual exploitation. The court deemed the previous law, which defined young people as those under 16, unconstitutional.
In January, President Mnangagwa invoked his powers under the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act to implement a temporary measure in accordance with the Concourt ruling. This temporary measure, however, was only valid for six months, requiring a permanent legislative solution.
The newly enacted law addresses this need, establishing 18 as the legal age of consent and offering greater protection to young people from sexual predators and early marriages.