The Children’s Act is set to come into force on Sunday, except for those sections still needing regulations, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Friday.
”The bulk of the Act deals with matters that must be implemented on a practical level, which means that regulations will be required before these matters can be operationalised,” he said in a statement.
However, the Act also dealt with principles fundamental to the manner in which children were treated and protected, which did not require regulations, and these should be put into operation as soon as possible, Skweyiya said.
The Act gives effect to certain children’s rights, sets out principles relating to their care and protection, defines parental responsibilities and rights, and makes provision for matters, such as children’s courts, adoption, child abduction and surrogate motherhood.
The principles include the paramountcy of the best interest of the child, the right to child participation in any matter concerning that child, children living with disability or chronic illness and a child’s right of access to court.
The Act also clarifies the grey area currently existing in relation to the age of adulthood, specifying that a child becomes a major on reaching the age of 18.
It further provides for the parental responsibilities and rights of unmarried fathers relating to access to and custody of their children. — Sapa