On Thursday 11th
October, 2012; Zambia joined the rest of the world in commemorating the
International Day of the Girl Child, under the theme “ending child marriages in
Zambia”. The day was commenced with a solidarity walk from the Lusaka Main Post
Office to the Government Complex, where the day was celebrated.
The introduction of this
day in the Zambian calendar could not have come at a better time as this when the
girl child is evenly being violated. However, with the coming of this day:
girls and organisations have been given an opportunity to raise public
awareness on the different challenges being faced by the girl child. This
year’s theme could not have come at a better time than now, when the issue of
child marriages is proving to be of great concern to the nation.
Children are a key part of
any society and as such their right to survival, protection and development
cannot be over emphasized. The involvement of children (boys and girls) in the
commemorations is a welcome move as this will help effectively address issues
that affect the fulfilment of their rights. Child marriages is a violation of
human rights, in Zambia child marriage rates are highly alarming. Child marriage
in Zambia currently stands at 41.6 percent. Among married girls aged 15-18, 68
percent of these girls having already given birth.
Speaking during the
commemorations of the International Day of the Girl Child, Permanent Secretary
in the Ministry of Gender and Child Development Ms Edwigde Mutale said campaigns
like these are very significant, because they make people aware of the negative
things that happen to girls.
Ms Mutale outlined some of
the measures government is taking to address early marriages and other negative
challenges faced by the girl child. “The setting up of the Ministry Chiefs and
Traditional Affairs will enable government work with chiefs in order to do away
with the negative traditional practices which affect the girl child”, she said.
She further said that
government has put in place measures to encourage girl child education in
Zambia such as the low cut off point at grade 7, and the re-entry policy which
provides the opportunity for girls to return to school and continue with their
education after falling pregnant. She revealed that government is in the process
of domesticating the Convention on Rights of the Child (CRC) and other
international conventions which the government has signed and ratified.
However, the children have
an appeal to government and other stakeholders on their welfare and rights. The
children want government to put in place measures that will protect the girl
child against early marriages, as it impacts negatively on their development.
Bertha Phiri of Kabulonga Girls High School said government and other
stakeholders should take up an active role in sensitizing parents on the
negative effects of early marriages on the girl child. “Government should also educate parents on the
importance of girl child education and its immense benefits to the nation”, she
said.
As
the country commemorates this day, we must take into consideration challenges
being faced by the girl child; there is need for the country to put across
legislations pertaining to children to ensure children are protected from all
forms of violence. This day signifies the need to put girls’ rights at the centre
of the national agenda. As the saying goes “children are the building blocks of
any nation” and as such it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure their rights
are protected.
- The Children’s News Agency with support from
European Union.
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