Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson and spokesperson Jessie Majome has expressed support for a proposed policy to ban underage children from using social media in Zimbabwe.
In a recent interview, Majome said that while the Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of information, any exposure a child has must be in their best interests.
“A policy that would restrict children’s access to the media and social media does align with constitutional protections of freedom of access to information, as well as freedom of expression because in the constitution, the best interests of the child are the ones that are said to be paramount interests. Paramount interests, that is, in terms of Section 19 of our constitution.
“And this is on the basis that any experience that a child has, or any exposure that a child has, must be watched—must be in their best interests.
“Therefore, children are young, and they are vulnerable, and in the wisdom of the constitution, it finds it important to limit exposure to certain influences, information, and experiences because that is, I think, unarguably in the best interests of children,” said Majome.
She argued that, due to their vulnerability, children are often unable to filter information or fully understand its influence.
“However, the same constitution does, as you say, guarantee the right to freedom of information and expression.
“The same constitution, again necessarily and wisely, provides that it is constitutional to limit certain rights, and that is in Section 86 of the constitution,” said Majome.
She said that Section 86 of the Constitution states that constitutional rights, including the right to access information and freedom of expression, are subject to limitations that are broadly necessary and reasonably justifiable in a free and democratic society.
Majome said: “And the question then is: Is it reasonable, and is it—is it reasonable in a democratic society based on fairness, openness, and democracy to limit children’s access to maybe social media sites for their protection?
“I want to think that every person who is not only a parent, but any person who has even been a child themselves before, will say ‘Yes.’ Because children do need protection. You can’t let them do absolutely anything that they like.”
Using the analogy of a fire, Majome said parents would not let their children touch an open flame, even though children have a right to freedom of movement.
“For the same reason that we restrict children from exposure to physical harm, we also, in our constitution, permit limitation of access by children to harmful experiences that might not be physical fires, but they may be as harmful. So, the rights are balanced in that way,” said Majome.
Her remarks come after Tatenda Mavetera, Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, recently announced that the government is drafting a Child Online Policy that could limit children’s access to social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to protect them from online harm.
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