Let’s end child marriages

Tanaka Mahanya and Laura Maphosa

CHILD marriages impact negatively on child development and empowerment initiatives meant to benefit the girl child.

The recent death of 15-year-old Nokutenda Hwaramba, while giving birth at a shrine in Bikita, is a stark reminder of violation of girls’ and women’s rights.

The national inquiry on child marriages conducted by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission provides evidence that there are still numerous cases of child marriages.

United Nations Development Programme resident director, Mia Seppo, told a media conference that Zimbabwe should sustain the momentum towards a GBV free society.

“At the legislative and policy level, we have witnessed the enactment of the Marriages Act, the launch and rollout of the Public Service Sexual Harassment Module, and the National Strategy on women in decision making.

“As we continue to move forward, let us reflect on the successes that we have achieved together, the challenges we must overcome and the opportunities that we must take advantage of.

“To ensure no one and no place is left behind, great strides have been made in enhancing the voice, participation and agency of women and girls through social and economic empowerment initiatives and through enabling participation in decision making,” she said.

Seppo said this is the perfect opportunity to build on steps that have already been laid under the High-Level Political Compact to sustain the momentum towards a GBV free society.

“Let us undertake the challenging work of transforming the structures and cultures that allow GBV to happen in the first place.

“Now we must make every effort to safeguard the significant progress we have made, through strong partnerships at national, regional and global levels, and build on the momentum we have created to end gender-based violence for good,” she added.