Paul Nyathi|ZimEye.com readers have come hard on MDC parliamentarian Dr Ruth Labode who is the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on Health and Child Care.

Labode made a social media call for a debate on possibly reducing the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12 years.

Wrote Labode on her Facebook page:

Comrades and friends let us debate Sexual Reproductive Health Service and the current Age of Consent in Zimbabwe. Girls are having sex as early as 12yrs, as demonstrated by a report given by Ex-minister Education Dokora, to Parliament on the number of girls who got pregnant in Grade 7 and hence could proceed to Form 1 in 2017. The number he gave was 4500. An organization called Katswe Sisterhood exposed the rampant young Sex–Workers (as young as 9yrs) in Epworth. This issue was extensively debated in the 8th Parliament but NO solution was proffered. Currently the parliament is sitting on a petition from the Chiredzi Community asking parliament to investigation the alarming levels of Child Sex Work and Illegal Abortions in the community. What do we do?? Our moral values have been trampled upon by the extreme levels of poverty and lack of social systems. The current Age of Consent is going to be 18yrs which means if you are under 18yrs you a minor and should not consent to sex and cannot access health services in your own capacity. ASIKHULUMENI!!!!!

Below are some responses on her call for debate on the issue.