adminMaria Chiguvari
RISING award-winning Afro-fusion artist, Mary Anibal, is using the power of her music to fight for children’s rights.
She has released her new song titled ‘Vana Ava.’
The songbird brings to light the abuse children face and how their rights are constantly violated by the same people who are expected to care for them.
Days before the release of the song, the songbird had highlighted the abuse a girl child goes through.
“I’d like to highlight the plight of many girls in our country who are in unlawful marital unions.
“Child marriage was constitutionally outlawed years ago yet it continues to be widespread in Zimbabwe.
“The law is very clear as to who an adult is yet we keep encountering cases of non-adults being married off at ages as young as nine,” she said.
Anibal has called for action to be taken.
“Apart from poverty, level of education and religion being the main driving factors behind early child marriages, there is also the issue of preserving family honour when girls fall pregnant and choose to enter customary marriages because they are afraid their family will abuse them for dishonourable behaviour and harmful cultural practices.
“This rampant problem affects girls’ development because their childhood is disrupted.
“It also affects their education and increases the risk of domestic violence, psychological and physical violence, including sexual violence, and HIV infections.
“In the worst of cases, this even leads to the death of minors during childbirth as they experience labour complications.
“Even in adulthood, there are countless ways in which these women’s lives continue to be affected as they end up struggling to acquire appropriate skills to enter the labour force, pushing them further into poverty.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter