Child Marriages: A Pandemic within a pandemic

By Karen Nyeraurombo

Shamwari Yemwanasikana Director Ekenia Chifamba says child marriages in Zimbabwe have become a pandemic within a pandemic, adding that there is a need to strengthen laws to ensure that young girls are protected.

Cases of child marriages are reportedly on an increase in Zimbabwe due to various reasons.

Earlier this year, Parliament was told that about 1774 girls were married off across the country between January and February, while 4959 fell pregnant at the same time.

This is despite the fact that Section 78 of the Constitution sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 years. The same constitution also prohibits forced marriages.

Just recently a 14-year-old girl was reported to have died while giving birth at a religious shrine. She was also a victim of child marriages.

Speaking during an interview on OpenParly in-depth Chifamba said cases of child marriages were happening everywhere in the country and that girls are being disadvantaged.

“We are dealing with Covid-19 as a pandemic, but this (child marriages) is a pandemic within a pandemic. The law should be strengthened to protect young girls.

“The issue of child marriages is happening everywhere. Girls are being taken advantage of and for me to say child marriages it’s an understatement. This is rape because we are talking of an under 18, which the constitution of Zimbabwe says is a child.

“For me, these are young girls as long as they are below the ages of 18. They are children, even as they make certain decisions in life you realize that these are uninformed decisions,’’ she said.

Child marriage perpetrator walking free

Chifamba said it is worrying to see perpetrators of child marriages walking free in the communities because the law is weak to protect the girls.

“We are having so many of these perpetrators walking free because the law fails to fully protect and support these young girls.

‘’I’ll refer to the Memory issue and I think something could have been done by Memory’s mother or relatives to say no even if we believe in this church can’t we at least seek justice and say this is wrong there’s no way a 14-year-old can give birth at a shrine and make it.

“These issues are taken to pastors. I don’t understand what sort of counselling is given to a rapist and telling him never to do it again. And yet he’s coming from a family where he is capable of doing it to his children.

“The legal frameworks are important. The moment we have them and they are being implemented then we know it sets an example for every other perpetrator out there. It sends a message that it’s prohibited and it’s a crime.

“I strongly believe that we are in a position as Civil Society Organizations to make a breakthrough with support from the government,’’ she said.