Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Government has reiterated its commitment to the fight against forced child marriages and other forms of sexual and domestic violence in the country.
Gender Minister Elizabeth Phiri says government has continued making strides in ending early marriages since the launch of the campaign to end child marriage in 2013.
She reiterated that these efforts will help to maximize the girl child’s potential and accelerate the realization of national and regional Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mrs. Phiri has attributed the achievements, to continued strengthening of multi-sectoral coordination through systems and structures that enhance collaboration, networking, partnerships and sharing of best practices.
Speaking during the Launch of the 2018-2021, National Advocacy and Communication strategy on ending child marriage in Zambia, Mrs. Phiri says her Ministry working with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is embarking on a four year global programme to accelerate action to end child marriage.
Mrs. Phiri says the programme offers a frame work promoting the right to girls to delay marriage, addressing the conditions that keep the practice in place and caring for girls already in marriages.
She says government will continue engaging traditional leaders on the need to end harmful traditional practices such as child marriage in their communities.
And Mrs. Phiri says the Launch of the National Advocacy and Communication strategy seeks to strategies national interventions for changing behaviors, beliefs, knowledge and practices that perpetuate child marriages in communities.
And speaking at the same event, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Representative Shadrack Omol has noted the need for all stakeholders to find a lasting solution on sexual and reproductive health, justice, social welfare, gender equality, education and social protection.
Mr. Omol says through the global programme to accelerate action to end child marriage, UNICEF and UNFPA remain committed to supporting the Zambian government’s campaign so that child marriage can be brought to an end.
Meanwhile evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Pukuta Mwanza says early child marriages have serious health implications that result from early conception by teenage girls thus it is important for all stakeholders to work together in eradicating this vice.