Call for the enactment of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) legislation to support birth registration of abandoned and unidentified children in Zimbabwe

We, the undersigned, hereby petition Parliament of Zimbabwe in terms of Sections 117 and 119 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which grant citizens the right to petition Parliament and require Parliament to protect the Constitution and promote democratic governance.

Concern:
Zimbabwe has a growing number of abandoned, orphaned, and unidentified children who remain unregistered due to gaps in the Births and Deaths Registration Act [Chapter 5:02]. Current law restricts birth registration to “new-born living children,” excluding older foundlings whose parents are unknown. This contradicts section 81 of the Constitution, which guarantees every child the right to a name, nationality and State assistance with registration, including foundlings under the age of fifteen.

As a result, many children are denied birth certificates and are excluded from education, healthcare, social protection and legal identity, exposing them to exploitation, trafficking, and prolonged institutional care.

Petition:
We respectfully call upon Parliament to:

1. Enact DNA legislation to regulate the ethical use of DNA technology for civil registration and child protection. The legislation should: 
                              i.          Recognise DNA testing as admissible evidence for establishing identity or parentage where conventional documentation is unavailable.

                         ii.          Establish a secure National DNA Database for missing and unidentified children, subject to strict privacy and data protection safeguards.

                       iii.          Strengthen institutional coordination between the Registrar-General, Social Welfare, Health Services and forensic laboratories to ensure child-centred, rights-based registration processes.

2. Align the Births and Deaths Registration Act with the Constitution by expressly providing for the registration of all abandoned and unidentified children, regardless of age at discovery.

Conclusion:
No child should be rendered invisible because of unknown parentage or outdated legislation. Integrating DNA-supported birth registration will uphold constitutional rights, protect vulnerable children and align Zimbabwe’s laws with its national, regional, and international human rights obligations.