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Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
Only 40 percent of children living with HIV have access to Anti-Retroviral Therapy against the targeted 100 percent due to lack of funding, Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr Aldrin Musiiwa has said.
Officially opening the Child Rights Coalition conference organised by the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children and its partners on Tuesday, Dr Musiiwa said funds were needed to initiate more children on ART.
“Challenges remain in many areas of child programming like children’s access to ART which is currently at 40 percent, but the desirable figure being 100 percent,” he said.
“Whilst Government is committed to the realisation of children’s rights, we are currently experiencing budgetary constraints to fully support children’s programming.”
Zimbabwe’s estimated HIV prevalence rate for both children and adults stands at 15 percent.
Dr Musiiwa said because of the Government commitment on child rights, it had embarked on the process of aligning existing laws so that they comply with the new supreme law on the definition of a child.
Among the laws being looked at that affect children are the Children’s Act, Marriage Act and Criminal Law and Codification Act.
Dr Musiiwa said Government was fulfilling its duty in the compilation of State Party Reports to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of Children (ACRWC).
“I am glad to highlight that Government will be presenting the second periodic report to the UN Expert Committee on Child Rights in January next year,” he said.
“We presented the initial report inclusive of seven periodic reports to ACRWC of the child expert committee in March 2015.”
On Tuesday, legislators called on Government and Parliament to move the age of consent from 16 years to 18 to minimise the violation of children’s rights.
Matabeleland South proportional representative Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said there was need for swift action to deal with the issue.
Harare West legislator Ms Jessie Majome (MDC-T) called for a referendum to be conducted on the age of consent.
Online Reporter