ZAMBIA MOVES STEP FORWARD TO END CHILD MARRIAGE

By Daily News Reporter

Zambia's adoption of a national strategy to end child marriage marks a significant step forward in addressing a pervasive issue that has long plagued the country. With 42% of girls marrying before the age of 18, it's evident that concerted efforts are required to bring about meaningful change. The strategy's ambitious goals, aiming for a 40% reduction in child marriage rates by 2026 and ultimately envisioning a Zambia free from child marriage by 2030, demonstrate a commitment to long-term transformation.

The strategy's multi-faceted approach, which includes strengthening multi-sectorial responses, reforming policies and legislation, challenging negative attitudes and beliefs, providing child-sensitive services, and mobilizing financial resources, reflects a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding child marriage. By engaging traditional leaders, partnering with UN agencies, NGOs, and international donors, and fostering coordination across ministries, Zambia is harnessing a wide range of resources and expertise to drive change.

However, challenges such as sustaining political will, resource allocation, and developing a detailed National Plan of Action remain. The establishment of Ministry of Community Development and Social Services under the UPND government to oversee collaboration and coordination among stakeholders is a crucial step in ensuring the effective implementation of the strategy.

Zambia's initiative serves as a model for other countries grappling with high rates of child marriage. By learning from Zambia's experiences and adapting strategies to their own contexts, governments and organizations worldwide can work towards ending this harmful practice and empowering millions of girls and women globally.

Supporting the most marginalized girls in some of the most impoverished and rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa to go to school. Their appeal focuses on education as a tool to end child marriage across Africa, a movement that, like the theme of this year’s 16 Days of Activism, aims to leave no one behind.

Child marriage is recognized a form of gender-based violence by the UN and many governments across the world, and as a violation of human rights. It perpetuates other forms of gender-based violence, such as domestic abuse, rape and harmful practices. Girls who marry before the age of 18 are more likely to experience physical, sexual, and emotional abuse than those who marry later. In Zambia, one of five countries 47 percent of ever-married women age 15–49 report having experienced physical, sexual, and/or emotional violence from their current or most recent husband or partner. But this statistic doesn’t take into account girls like Toliwe, who entered into marriage and a life of poverty and abuse at the age of 12.

Discrimination against women and deep-rooted gender inequality is at the core of violence against women and girls. It is this, combined with poverty, social norms, and a lack of access to education that leads so many girls to be married at a tender age. In turn, child marriage traps girls and their families in a cycle of poverty, as girls are less likely to be able to stay in school, access employment opportunities, and have control over the size of their families.

Supporting some of the most marginalized girls in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Ghana to go to school. When girls are able to stay in school, they are less likely to enter into early marriages, and receive the knowledge, confidence and empowerment they need to stay in school, succeed, and lead.

Training young women from women networks, these will help them to become activists, mentors and agents of change in their communities. As many of these young women were once destined to be child brides, they understand what it takes to help girls escape this poverty trap