Zambia reaffirms commitment to ending child marriages by 2030

The Zambian government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating child marriages through strengthened legal and policy frameworks.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary, Angela Kawandami, stressed the need for renewed stakeholder engagement to end child, early, and forced marriages by 2030.

Speaking at a side event during the ongoing 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York, co-hosted by Canada and the United Kingdom, Kawandami highlighted Zambia’s progress in community-based initiatives, legal reforms, and awareness campaigns.

She, however, acknowledged that millions of girls worldwide were still married before the age of 18.

This is contained in a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday.

“It is crucial to implement evidence-based community interventions and foster collaboration at international, regional, national, and local levels. We must prioritize and amplify the voices of adolescent girls,” she said.

Kawandami assured that Zambia remained committed to working with global partners to mobilize political will, financial resources, and community engagement to secure every girl’s right to a safe, healthy, and empowered life.

During the meeting, Canada reaffirmed its role in championing the fight against child marriages, calling on all nations to reject practices that rob children of their futures.

The United Kingdom, meanwhile, urged member states to develop policies that ensure girls’ education, health, and future security, drawing from the experiences of survivors to support others.

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