State bids to end child marriage by 2030

By Ann Zulu

GOVERNMENT has redoubled its efforts to eliminate child marriage in Zambia, Gender Minister Victoria Kalima has said.

Ms. Kalima observed that the country had continued to witness a high rate of child marriages.

She pointed out that poverty, desire for material things, harmful socio-cultural beliefs and limited access to sexual and reproductive health information, among others, as some of the key drivers of child marriages.

Ms. Kalima was speaking during the official opening of the evaluation workshop on AU Campaign to End Child Marriages on Monday.

The workshop was attended by various stakeholders from the AU member states dealing with social development and children’s affairs.

Ms. Kalima noted that child marriages were not just a violation of human rights that robbed girl children of their rights to health, social-cultural and economic security but also a harmful practice that impacted negatively on girls.

She said Government had put in place new and more effective programmes to end the vice in Zambia not later than 2030.

“Zambia has continued to record a high rate of child marriages and according to the 2016 GRZ/ UNFPA report, Northen Province has the highest number of child marriages at 49.7% followed by Eastern Province at 44.9 and Muchinga Province at 44.7% married by the age of 18.

‘‘The national prevalence rate of child marriage is now at 31%, representing an 11% reduction from the previous prevalence of 42% in 2007.

“The Zambian Government under President Edgar Lungu’s leadership has committed itself to enhancing education opportunities and promoting the rights of the girl child, particularly in removing the impediments that inhibit their progression and introduce new programmes to eradicate the vice now but not later than 2030.,” Ms. Kalima said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Kalima has urged African leaders to reflect and ascertain the most practical and attainable measures to end child marriages in Africa.

She called for strong synergies between government institutions and civil society engagement in order to enhance the implementation of strategies to end the scourge.

“We need to critically reflect on the commitments and come up with tangible strategies that governments can implement in order to safeguard the rights of our children,” she said.

And speaking earlier, UNICEF Representative Dr. Hamid el –Bashir said ending child marriage was a major priority as it was a violation of children’s rights with longer term impacts affecting children as they move into adulthood. 

He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to support programmes aimed at ending the scourge in the form of human resources, technical guidance and financing.

Mr. Bashir disclosed that UNICEF and UNFPA were implementing a Global Programme on Accelerating Action to End Child Marriage in 12 countries, including Zambia.

“The UN will remain a committed partner of the AU and of member states because we all share a common vision, commitment and an urgency to eliminate child marriages, ’Mr. Bashir said.