Ministry of Gender in process of revising marriage Act

The Ministry of Gender says it is in the process of holding consultations with the general public with regards the revision of the marriage Act.

Minister of Gender Elizabeth Phiri has told journalists that this is an effort to make it effective in the fight against early marriages and defilement.

Mrs. Phiri says government wants to ensure that the girl child is accorded the opportunity to get educated as opposed to the present situation where in some cases girls are forced into early marriages.

She says the fruitful outcome of the review is dependent on submissions from the general public.

The Gender Minister adds that the general public will be informed on the commencement of the review process and the specific period it will take once the ministry mobilizes resources for the exercise.

Following the increase in the number of child marriages in the country, the Ministry Gender recently announced that it will revise the marriage Act which will describe a child as any person under the age of 21.