Govt called on to set age defining `a child`

USAID

The government has been advised to set a specific age that will define a child in order to avoid confusion in the community especially on issues related to their rights.

The advice was given recently by a security official in Handeni District ASP Juma Jumanne during a roundtable discussion on International Day of the Girl Child which focused on a campaign dubbed “Pamoja Tuwalee…Niache Nisome”.

The campaign organised by the Handeni District Council was supported by World Education/Botswana through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“The stakeholders dealing with children’s issues should shout now to prompt the government to define the specific age which will identify an individual as a child. Tanzanians should recognise children in accordance with the National law,” he said.

He said currently there are contradictions in laws on the right age of a child because each law identifies a child in accordance with its demand..

Referring to the Tanzanian laws in recognising a child, ASP Jumanne cited the laws as Children and Young person, Chapter 13, R.E 2002 where a child means a person under the age of 12 years, while Section 2 of Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) R.E 2002 names a child as a person who has not reached the age of 16.

Other laws which identify a child according to their needs include; Evidence Act, Cap. 6 R.E 2002 Section 127 (4) where a child whose apparent age is not more than 14 years, Section 2 of Children’s home (Regulations) Act Chapter 61 R.E 2002 where a child means a person under the age of 18 years.

Marriage Act, Cap 29, R.E 2002 defines a child as an individual who has not attained the age of 18.

Jumanne called on the government, education stakeholders, court, security organs and people at individual levels to reduce or eliminate the problem of early marriages especially in Handeni where the problem is huge.

“Reported cases at police posts in Handeni district including Mkata and Kabuku show that the problem of early marriages is higher among secondary school students than in primary schools,” he said.

According to data from the Web, from a biological point of view, a child is a person who is not of age to have children. The development of a child is a process more or less continuous that passes through several stages; zero to 28 days (newborn), 28 days to two years (infant), two to six years (early childhood), six to 13 years (childhood), the term preadolescent is also commonly used.

Beginning at 13 years of age, puberty marks a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Functioning of the hormonal system that will provoke the peak of physical growth, maturation of the reproductive system and physical changes all occur.

The United Nations thus drew up a definition of the child so that all countries having ratified the international Convention of the Rights of the Child share the same reference, which is laid down in Article 1 of the Convention: A child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN