By Wallace Mawire
Zimbabwe has begun the consultation process to establish a sex offenders register system like other countries like Kenya and South Africa. Vimbai Nyemba, Secretary for the country’s Ministry of Justice , Legal and Parliamentary Affairs thanked on behalf of the Zimbabwe government the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Centre for Applied Legal Research (CALR) and development partners for their support in making this consultation possible.
Nyemba said Zimbabwe’s Constitution commits them to building a democratic society founded on justice, human dignity, equality and the rule of law.
She said it also places a responsibility upon the State to protect every person from violence, abuse and exploitation while safeguarding the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to all. It is within this framework that we meet today.
Nyemba said the Zimbabwe Law Development Commission is mandated to keep our laws under continuous review and to recommend reforms where necessary. That responsibility requires us to ensure that our legal framework remains responsive to emerging challenges, reflects our values and serves the needs of our society.
She said the question before them is therefore not simply whether Zimbabwe should establish a Sex Offenders Register but whether such a system would strengthen the protection of vulnerable persons, support the administration of justice and enhance public confidence while remaining fully consistent with our laws and capable of effective implementation.
She added that sexual violence remains one of the gravest violations of human dignity. Although reported cases remain unacceptably high, research consistently demonstrates that many incidents go unreported because of fear, stigma and other barriers faced by victims.
Nyemba said any proposal to establish a Sex Offenders Register raises significant legal and policy considerations. It requires careful examination of issues relating to privacy, human dignity, rehabilitation, reintegration, data protection, institutional capacity and, ultimately, whether such a system would effectively contribute to preventing sexual offending and protecting vulnerable members of society.
She said their task is to strike the appropriate balance between protecting the public and preserving the constitutional rights that define our democratic legal order.
She added that justice demands both accountability and fairness. It requires us to protect those who are vulnerable while ensuring that every legal measure we adopt is proportionate, necessary and effective.
Nyemba said The quality of law reform depends upon the quality of consultation.
“I therefore encourage every participant to contribute openly and constructively. Your professional experience, institutional knowledge and practical insights are essential to ensuring that any recommendations emerging from this process are balanced, evidence-based and capable of strengthening our justice system,’ Nyemba said.
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