Peadophilia not ‘child marriage’: A critical analysis of ‘child marriages’ in the apostolic sects in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This research interrogates and critically analyzes the issue of ‘child marriages’ in two major Apostolic sects in Zimbabwe, namely, Johanne Marange and Johanne Masowe, the major objective being to unearth the root causes of these ‘marriages’, the types, the effects and the possible solutions. The researcher questions the name itself, ‘child marriage’, and tries to come up with an alternative name for this ‘institution’ and the move is towards sexual abuse, exploitation and paedophilia. At the centre of it all will be the law and the analysis of the legal pluralism in Zimbabwe that is affecting the effective domestication of international human rights conventions, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the African Charter on the Rights and the Welfare of the Child amongst other conventions. The research further quizzes the different actors and structures that are involved from the time a child is taken into this ‘union’ and analyses the role they play in perpetuating this system. Throughout the research the major findings which stemmed from the use of the women’s law approach as the overarching framework are brought to light. Narrations of the rape that happens, the trauma, the lack of protection in the polygynous union are discussed. Finally, the paper will look at the key findings and analyse them and chart a suggested way forward which is that of the multi-sectoral approach.