Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Bill
Date of introduction: 1st March 2024
Committee:
Responsible Ministry: Attorney General
Timeline for submission of comments: 30 June 2024
Contacts for submission of comments: info@zambialii.org
Issues Addressed: The bill aims to amend the definition of 'child' to align it with the definition in the Constitution. This follows the legislative changes introduced in 2022 through the Children's Code Act, which, in section 18(2)(a), stipulates that a child, as defined by the Constitution, must not be subjected to child marriage. The proposed amendment seeks to harmonise the Matrimonial Causes Act with the Children's Code Act, adopting the constitutional definition of a child.
Additionally, the bill proposes changes to the criteria for voiding a marriage based on the age of the parties involved. Under the proposed amendment, a marriage would be void if at least one party is a child. With the updated definition of a child, this means that individuals must be over the age of 18 to enter into a valid marriage.