World Bank counsels Zambia on child marriages

World Bank country Director Kundhavi Kadiresan says reducing child marriages and delaying teenage pregnancies among adolescents will be a smart thing for Zambia.

Speaking during a high level policy workshop on pragmatic study on adolescent girls in Zambia, Kadiresan notes that global evidence shows that girls who delay marriage and child bearing reach a higher level of education.

Ms. Kadiresan says high level education helps girls to become more productive members of socKundhaviiety, and contribute better to breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty through investing in their children.

She stresses that the hope of a Zambia with less poverty should keep all stakeholders motivated and interested to find solutions to reduce child marriages and teenage pregnancies.

And speaking at the same function, Gender and Child Development Minister Nkandu Luo expressed concern over the increased number of girls dropping out of school due to early marriages.

Professor Luo says the high number of adolescent girls being caught up in the vice needs much greater attention to protect their future.

She states that she will as minister responsible recommend to President Edgar Lungu to have all play parks repossessed back to the councils so that adolescents are given back their playing space than patronizing night clubs.

The Gender and Child Development has lamented that many adolescents are being victims of all forms of abuse due to poverty and lack of care from parents.

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