End child marriages, urges - State

THERE is need to expedite interventions and strategies to end child marriages in the country, says North-Western Province deputy permanent secretary Daglous Ngimbu

Speaking in Mushindamo during the Chibuye Makalakala traditional ceremony of the Lamba-speaking people of Chief Mulonga at the weekend, Mr Ngimbu said Government had come up with a number of interventions and strategies to end child marriages in the country.

Mr Ngimbu said one such strategy was the adoption of a five-year national action plan to end the vice.

He said the main drivers of the vice included traditional practices and beliefs as well as low social status, among others.

He said the action plan that government had put in place was being implemented by the Ministry of Gender and other cooperating partners.

“And this action plan has not been rolled out in Mushindamo, I’m therefore directing the provincial administration to facilitate and ensure that the contents of the action plan trickles down to all chiefdoms in the district and the province as a whole if we are to end the scourge,” Mr Ngimbu said.

He further disclosed that government in 2013 launched a Nation-wide campaign to end child marriage which is being spearheaded by the ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs.

He said following the launch of the programme, Government was happy that Chief Mulonga and other chiefdoms had joined the nationwide campaign to end child marriage.

“Let me take this opportunity to urge parents, guardians, village headmen, the Church and all responsible citizens to collectively join this crusade to end child marriages,’’ he said.

He also disclosed that the other social problem that needed to be tackled was gender based violence (GBV).