THE suggestion by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to take a leading role in averting the evils bedeviling the Zimbabwean girl-child is welcome, but are we moving in the right direction as the general public to help the authorities to stop early child-marriages, child-prostitution and rape?
Why should the public be quiet on such issues?
As it is, 10 rape cases are being reported daily countrywide, a trend which is disheartening.
What about those cases not being reported to the police?
And these rape cases could be escalating in rural areas where people are a bit far from police stations and legal institutions.
Even in urban areas, girls have become part and parcel of street-children whose way of life leaves a lot to be desired.
There have been reports of gang rape of girls who would have become ‘new street kids’ in town.
Some of them even fall pregnant and give birth on the streets.
It is very disheartening to see girls with so much potential getting wasted just like that.
There is also another disturbing trend in the country whereby child-prostitution has become prevalent in most shopping areas and other notorious places.
While we may celebrate that high court judgment to end child marriages, the truth on the ground is that the practice is still rampant in some communities.
In fact, the unfortunate part is that some parents are actually involved in these child marriages because of the love of money.
Parents and guardians need to be responsible.
They must know that the girl-child is vulnerable and demands their unequivocal protection.
Let us first re-inforce the family system in order to give these young girls a decent place to live.
Our girls are God-given.
They are heirs to Zimbabwe and must not be abused in any way.
Mai Pela
Harare