By Own Correspondent- Opening the 27th session of the Junior Parliament of Zimbabwe as part of commemorations of the Day of the African Child, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised free compulsory basic education for all children, jobs and improved health services.

Addressing child parliamentarians, Mnangagwa said:

“The future is ours together. As we celebrate the African Child, we intend to promote children’s rights in all areas of health, education, social responsibilities. We are determined to ensure that matters relating to children are dealt with amicably.

“We are committing to create access to good health, creating employment for our youth. We want to have a culture of innovation and also encourages our youth to adopt a new curriculum in order to build the Zimbabwe we want.”

The Day of the African Child was initiated in 1991 by the then Organisation of African Unity Assembly and they designated June 16 in honour of children who participated in South Africa’s Soweto Uprising in 1976. This year’s theme is: Humanitarian Action in Africa: Children’s Rights First.

Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo said children should discuss issues of s.e.xual health with their guardians before proceeding to the hospital or clinics.

Moyo said the ministry did not want to see a child who had contracted a s.e.xually transmitted disease going to a hospital or clinics unaccompanied.

“We will make sure condoms are available, but as the ministry we encourage abstinence. We say no to early marriages, we are against 12 years as age of consent, but as the ministry we recognise 18 years as the age of legal consent,” he said.

Child President Mukudzeishe Madzivire chronicled challenges distracting children from focusing on their education.