Traditional leaders challenged to take lead in fight against teenage pregnancies, child marriages

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu

CHIEF Mtshane Khumalo, President of Chief’s Council has tasked chiefs to respond to a clarion call for them to take a lead in the fight against teenage pregnancies and child marriages.

He said the alarming statistics are a call for immediate action.

“The fact that we have been engaged as chiefs to take a lead in the fight against child marriages and teenage pregnancies means that we are a crucial stakeholder in this cause. As chiefs we are not comfortable in leading a community where our children are being married off and impregnated while they are still young.

“I would like to urge my fellow chiefs not to take this matter lightly and respond to “Not my village” call. When we go back to our areas let’s declare and fight to ensure that we end these social ills in our communities. As chiefs let’s act as the eye of Government and other partners who have rolled out programmes to eliminate these social ills,” he said.

Chiefs from Matabeleland South, Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West are today concluding a four day “Not in my village” campaign orientation workshop that was held in Gweru.

The Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is spearheading the “Not in My Village” campaign. The initiative is youth-led, driven by the Young People’s Network on Health and Wellbeing (YPNHW), in partnership with NAC.

@DubeMatutu