Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Centre for Disability Development Research, Law and Policy has advised Government to review the penal code Act no.87 and ensure that child negligence is made a criminal offence.
Dr Charles Mwape who is policy analyst for SADC and Inclusive Development Advisor says government should criminalize child negligence for the sake of many children in Zambia who have been rejected and neglected by irresponsible fathers.
Dr Mwape says the increased cases of men refusing responsibilities for children need fast and drastic measures by Government through strengthening the penal code Act and other related laws to protect these innocent children.
He states that as a centre their recommendation to Government is that rejecting of a child or failing to support should be a criminal matter and if the father is proved through DNA to be the true parent of such a child, he should be sent to prison with hard labour for 18 years with the option to maintain the child.
Dr Mwape says it is heartbreaking to see how Zambian women are struggling to raise children as single parents.
He notes that reviewing the law is the only remedy to instilling a sense of responsibility in Zambian men in the habit of having children they don’t care about and support.