Melinda Kusemachibi
Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) has revealed that child marriages in the country have increased this year and Masvingo province is ranked fourth among the country’s ten provinces after recording 35,5 percent girls and while boys account for 4,2 percent in cases of child marriages .
This was revealed in a concept note of the 2021 National Gender Forum prepared by the ZGC under the theme ‘Action towards the Eradication of Harmful Practices Which Breed Child Marriages and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Young Girls’.
Statistics by ZGC show that Mashonaland Central province tops the list with 49, 5% girls, 6, 7% boys married at a young age, followed by Mashonaland West with 41, 7% girls and 5, 6% boys.
Mashonaland East is on third place with 37,8% girls and 3,9% boys, followed by Masvingo with 35,3% girls and 4,2% boys with Manicaland having 36% girls and 3,4% boys.
Matabeleland North is rated at number six with 32, 9% girls and 5, 5% boys entering into early child marriages, followed by the Midlands with 30, 4% girls and 2, 7% boys.
Matabeleland South had 22, 2% girls and 1, 7% boys, while Harare had at 21, 7% girls and 2, 7% boys, with Bulawayo being the least with 13, 5% girls and 2, 7% boys.
ZGC considers child marriage as one of the systemic barriers prejudicial to the achievement of gender equality.
ZGC said the prevalence of child marriages in Zimbabwe was unacceptably high with “1 in 3 (32, 6%) girls and 4% boys being married before the age of 18.
“Statistics from the Multiple Indicator Survey demonstrate that child marriage is still a challenge in Zimbabwe and disproportionately affecting more girls than boys. Further indications are that child marriage prevalence is high (40%) in rural areas as compared to urban areas (21, 3%),” ZGC said.
ZGC Commissioner Tsungirirayi Hungwe-Chimbunde said child marriages are rape cases.
“Call it rape not early child marriages,” said Hungwe Chimbunde.
Girls and Women Empowerment Network (GWEN) Trust Director, Kumbirai Kahiya said they were monitoring church activities with a watchful eye in their efforts to combat child marriages.
“We have stepped up our efforts to address the issue of child marriages through various engagements with ordinary church members and their leaders.
“Our main focus is on Christianity and African Traditional Religion (ATR) groups where we teach them about women empowerment and educate them on constitutionally-enshrined rights for young women,” said Kahiya.
Amnesty International Membership Growth and Communications officer, Lucy Chivasa said her organization has been assisting victims with psychological and social support.
“When we come across cases where teenage girls have been impregnated and forced into marriage, we seek the intervention of law enforcement agents. We assist parents of the girl to make police report so that criminals can be arrested,” said Chivasa.
ZGC Act mandates the commission to convene an annual gender forum to discuss issues of concern related to the commission’s constitutional and statutory functions.
“Each year, the annual gender forum is held under a particular thematic area of concern. The 2021 annual gender forum is taking place in the backdrop of rising concerns of religious and cultural practices that fuel child marriages, sexual exploitation and abuse of young girls,” the commission said.
ZGC in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises, Development carried out a community engagement programme in Mafararikwa Marange.
