The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) says the government should regulate churches to combat sexual offences against girls within some religious sects.
ZGC chairperson Margaret Sangarwe-Mukahanana on Tuesday told NewsDay that although churches are currently voluntary organisations that are not regulated, there is a need for authorities to intervene to end the sexual abuse of minors. She said:
Churches are voluntary organisations and they are unregulated. There is no code of conduct which governs them, and it is difficult to monitor sexual offences at churches lest we are told that we are infringing on the fundamental rights of worship and association.
However, if we want to arrest the scourge of child marriages and sexual offences, there should be at least some regulations that govern churches.
Sexual offences at religious places such as Apostolic faith sect shrines and churches have been on the rise over the years.
Under the new Marriages Act, the minimum age of marriage is 18 years for both girls and boys. It is, therefore, a crime to marry off a child and anyone involved in that will be prosecuted.
According to a 2019 survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, 33% of women reported that they were married before reaching the adult age of 18.
VYBZ KARTEL · 2 years ago
Indonesia Bans Premarital S.e.x, S.e.x Outside Marriage, Offenders To Be Jailed
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World
06 Dec. 2022 Indonesia Bans Premarital ****, **** Outside Marriage, Offenders To Be Jailed
Indonesia’s parliament approved a new criminal code on Tuesday that bans premarital **** and **** outside marriage with a punishment of up to one year in jail.
The new code, which will apply to Indonesians and foreigners alike, also prohibits cohabitation between unmarried couples, according to Reuters.
It will also ban insulting the president or state institutions, spreading views counter to the state ideology and staging protests without notification.
The laws were passed with support from all political parties.
However, the code will not come into effect for three years to allow for implementing regulations to be drafted.
Currently, Indonesia bans adultery but not premarital ****.
Maulana Yusran, deputy chief of Indonesia’s tourism industry board, said the new code was “totally counter-productive” at a time when the economy and tourism were starting to recover from the pandemic.
Foreign arrivals in the holiday destination of Bali are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels of six million by 2025, the tourism association has said previously.
Indonesia is also trying to attract more so-called “digital nomads” to its tropical shores by offering a more flexible visa.
Speaking at an investment summit, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Kim said the news could result in less foreign investment, tourism and travel to the Southeast Asian nation.
Albert Aries, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s justice ministry, said the new laws regulating morality were limited by who could report them, such as a parent, spouse or child of suspected offenders. He said:
The aim is to protect the institution of marriage and Indonesian values, while at the same time being able to protect the privacy of the community and also negate the rights of the public or other third parties to report this matter or ‘playing judge’ on behalf of morality.
These laws are part of a raft of legal changes that critics say undermine civil liberties in the world’s third-largest democracy. Other laws include bans on black magic.
Responding to the criticism, Indonesia’s Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly told parliament:
It’s not easy for a multicultural and multi-ethnic country to make a criminal code that can accommodate all interests.
Legal experts say that an article in the code on customary law could reinforce discriminatory and sharia-inspired bylaws at a local level, and pose a particular threat to LGBT people.
The public response to the new code has been muted so far, with only small protests held in the capital, Jakarta, on Monday on Tuesday.
Jeff Jaret · 2 years ago
INDONESIA authorities are simply empowering its CENTRAL REGISTRY OFFICE to allocate a spouse for every newly born baby - at the time of birth, or alternatively at birth certificates application.
As soon as one becomes an adult, a man has a duty - imposed on him by the legislature - to marry a wife that was already allocated to him at the time of birth. In this regard, the right to chose a spouse falls away. Thumbs up to Indonesia !! Consequently, the risk of failure to find a spouse in some people (especially women) is entirely eliminated with this kind of law. I am pretty sure every person who chooses to act contrary to the requirements of this law faces criminal charges with a heavy jail sentence if found guilty under the Indonesia's "Command Marriage" Act.
Other countries should also promulgate this kind of law, as it promotes "equitable distribution of spouses" among citizens of a country. A very big THANK YOU to Indonesia for leading the way !!
Bornfree · 2 years ago
You keep your oppression and I'll keep my freedom.