THE new Constitution Amendment proposal seeks to change how Zambia legally defines important age groups such as child, adult and youth.
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This is part of a wider effort to clear up long standing confusion in the Constitution.
Currently, Article 266 of the Constitution defines a child as a person who has attained or is below the age of 18. But this has caused confusion because it could be interpreted to mean that even an 18 year old is still a child.
Under the proposed changes in Bill 7, a child will now be clearly defined as a person below the age of 18 years and an adult as a person who has attained the age of 18 years.
The bill also updates the definition of youth. Currently, youth is defined as someone aged 19 to below 35 years. But with the new proposed amendment, youth means a person aged 18 to below 35 years.
If passed, Bill 7 will likely provide greater legal clarity and consistency, especially in matters involving children’s rights, electoral procedures and age based entitlements.
According to Article 266 (as of the Constitution revised in 2016), it read, “youth means a person who has attained the age of nineteen years, but is below the age of thirty five years.”
The change is important because it aligns Zambia’s laws with international standards, like the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, legal experts say.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, June 9, 2025
