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Community Development and Social Services Minister, Doreen Mwamba, has reaffirmed government’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and safeguarding the future of girls by ending child marriage in Zambia.
Speaking during the joint launch of two reports by Plan International and UNICEF on ending child marriage on Tuesday in Lusaka, Mwamba described the prevalence of the practice in the country as “unacceptably high” and a serious violation of human rights.
She noted that nearly one in three girls was married before reaching the age of 18.
The reports launched include The State of the World’s Girls Report, which focuses on child marriage and provides actionable pathways to address the issue, and UNICEF Zambia’s Updated 2023 Norms Study and Policy Brief, which examines how cultural beliefs and practices contribute to the persistence of child marriage and other forms of harm to children.
Read more: Mwamba pushes for family-based child care at global summit
“The reality of child marriage is that it is not merely a cultural practice; it is a grave violation of human rights—a practice that robs girls of their childhood, health, and education,” Mwamba said.
She stressed that child marriage perpetuated cycles of poverty and inequality, silences girls’ voices, and limited their potential.
The Minister further highlighted that the government had strengthened the legal framework to align with international commitments, ensuring that 18 years remained the minimum legal age for marriage.
Mwamba also said that government was implementing the National Strategy on Ending Child Marriage and prioritising girls’ education through policies that keep them in school and support their re-entry after pregnancy.
She called on government agencies, civil society, international partners, traditional and religious leaders, and communities to intensify efforts in ending child marriage, emphasising that “ending child marriage is not an impossible dream.”
Acting UNICEF Representative, Nejumdin Kedir Bilal, expressed optimism that Zambia was on the right path to ending child marriage, citing an increase in the median age of marriage from 20.7 in 2010 to 20.9 in 2022, according to the 2022 ZamStat Census.
Plan International Regional Director for the Middle East and Eastern and Southern Africa, Hajir Maalim, said this year’s State of the World’s Girls Report focused on girls’ experiences of child marriage—a practice that remains widespread despite significant policy and legislative reforms.
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