One in Three Girls Married Too Early: Zambia Urged to Strengthen Community Action

By Alain Kabinda

LUSAKA — At a National Consultation held in Lusaka on June 19, 2026, one message echoed through the meeting hall with urgency and conviction: “The time to act is now.”

Those words, delivered by Dr. Malizgani Paul Chavula, lecturer and researcher in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the University of Zambia, captured the central challenge facing the country’s efforts to protect girls and end child marriage.

                                (Dr. Malizgani Paul Chavula)

The consultation, organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with the Government of Zambia, brought together government officials, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, and development partners to discuss Life Skills and Health Education, legal reforms, and practical strategies to eliminate child marriage.

In Zambia, “one in three girls is married during adolescence”—a statistic that continues to affect health outcomes, educational attainment, and economic opportunities for young women.

Early pregnancies increase health risks for adolescent girls. School dropout limits future employment opportunities. Social stigma and emotional distress affect mental wellbeing. Poverty deepens as families and communities struggle to break intergenerational cycles of vulnerability.

While Zambia has developed policies and frameworks intended to address child marriage and support adolescent wellbeing, Dr. Chavula cautioned that policy alone cannot transform communities.

“Government interventions are important, but they cannot reach every village or dismantle harmful cultural norms without community ownership,” he said.

Rather than creating entirely new systems, Dr. Chavula called for strengthening and connecting structures that already exist.

He proposed a collaborative approach that links government departments, police Victim Support Units, health facilities, schools, and social welfare services with traditional and religious leadership structures.

According to him, communities themselves hold the power to accelerate change.

“Community leaders carry cultural authority and trust,” Dr. Chavula said. “Their involvement ensures that protective messages are accepted and acted upon immediately.”

His message reflected growing evidence that sustainable social change depends not only on legislation but also on local participation.

At community level, the approach outlined during the consultation focuses on prevention, early intervention, and stronger service delivery.

Religious and traditional leaders were encouraged to guide conversations during ceremonies, family gatherings, and community meetings to challenge harmful practices and support positive social norms.

Peer educators and community volunteers were identified as critical actors who can recognize risks early, intervene before marriages occur, and connect vulnerable girls to healthcare, counseling, education support, and empowerment opportunities.

Local police structures were also highlighted as essential partners in ensuring child protection measures reach communities.

“Local police must coordinate with communities to track cases and ensure service delivery from district to village,” Dr. Chavula said.

He emphasized that protecting children must become a shared responsibility embedded within community life.

The consultation concluded with a clear message: Zambia does not necessarily require more resources to accelerate progress—but stronger collaboration, coordinated service delivery, and meaningful community engagement.

Participants agreed that ending child marriage cannot be achieved by government alone.

It requires families, schools, churches, traditional leaders, health workers, civil society organizations, and young people themselves to work together.

As discussions closed, Dr. Chavula’s words remained central to the conversation.

Ending child marriage, he said, is not merely a policy objective—it is a national responsibility requiring immediate and collective action.

For Zambia, the challenge now is turning commitment into measurable change for the girls whose futures depend on it.