‘Involve men in education to curb childhood marriages’
child marriages,” said Ms Mantosi.
According to Unicef, child marriages often compromise a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and interrupting her schooling.
In addition, her opportunities for a career are limited and she is placed at increased risk of domestic violence. Child marriage also affects boys, but to a lesser degree compared to girls.
Ms Mantosi said the response they got from the men was overwhelming.
“The number of men who came through for the campaign was very good but we still hope we can get more numbers. It’s essential to teach the drivers of these marriages the harm they’re causing society when they marry young children,” she said.
The campaign also offered free HIV testing and counselling services.
“We realised that most men don’t want to go to the hospital. This is caused by the misconception that men are strong and hospitals are for women, the weak.”
“Such beliefs put the young girls at risk of being forced to marry someone who is already sick,” said Ms Mantosi.
Mazowe Rural Council official Mr Shepherd Edward said behaviour change towards marrying young children was essential in men.
“We know that behaviour change is not an event but a process. Initiatives such as this campaign need to be constantly done in order to achieve a change in attitudes towards child marriages,” said Mr Edward.
“There’s need for self-censorship, one must be able to realise the danger caused to the child’s future by these marriages,” he said.
Mr Edward said in his fight against early marriages, he has engaged traditional leaders and communities where child marriages are rampant.
“I summoned chiefs and headmen who deal directly with these men who marry young children in their villages urging them to discourage such behaviour and report such cases to the police,” he said.
Child rights activists say some of the major causes of child marriages are the prevailing religious and cultural norms that allow it to take place as an acceptable practice.
These norms include arranged marriages, pledging girls to families to appease ancestral spirits, and poverty driven trade-offs in which girls are made to enter marriages by poor families in exchange for livestock and money.
The campaign also afforded men a chance to partake in dialogues providing them a platform to voice their thoughts on child marriages.
Mr Adam Mandaza (42) of Glendale said men who marry young girls rob the nation of its treasure.
“I get very emotional when I think of elderly men who marry girls young enough to be their grandchildren or daughters. The only reason behind this is lust. Such men must be given life in prison,” he said.
Mr Mandaza said it is pivotal to consistently have campaigns aimed at raising awareness against child marriages focusing on men.
“Men play a major role in child marriages. This campaign has been eye-opening. There’s a need for more of these campaigns to fight against this menace,” he said.
Others think differently. They blame women for promoting child marriages. “Men are forced to marry young children by women. We find out that mothers go to wealthy men and offer their daughters. The men out of the goodness of their hearts comply as they want to save a family from starving,” said Mr Nathaniel Marufu, also from Glendale.
Mr Samuel Nleya (28) said exposure to social media was also contributing to early marriages.
“Young children these days are now exposed to music, videos and films they shouldn’t be exposed to. For instance, did you notice how some young girls who are still in primary school were dancing in an erotic manner to the Boom Beto song (Amai Munodonhedza Musika). Under such circumstances how do we stop child marriages?” asked Mr Nleya.
The Government and other stakeholders have conducted rigorous campaigns to empower the Girl Child and women with necessary skills to curb early marriages, teenage pregnancies and gender based violence.
However, activists say more campaigns are needed to focus on educating men against child marriages,
According to a 2015 Unicef report, the prevalence of child marriages in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West provinces stood at 50 percent and 42 percent respectively.
Masvingo and Mashonaland East provinces were at 36 percent, Midlands at 31 percent, Manicaland 30 percent, and Matabeleland North at 27 percent.
Harare has 19 percent, Matabeleland South 18 percent and Bulawayo 10 percent.
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education last November, a total of 3 650 females and 251 males dropped out of school because of early marriages nationwide.
At primary school level, 305 females and 13 male children left school for early marriage set-ups.
Last year, the Constitutional Court ruled that no child under the age of 18 would enter a valid marriage union.
Mashonaland Central province also recorded the highest adolescent pregnancies in the country, a report has shown.
According a report titled: “National Adolescent Fertility Study” adolescent pregnancy was highest in Mashonaland Central province at 28 percent and lowest in Harare at seven percent.
Due to this, the province also records a high number of gender based violence.
However, according to a 2016 UNFPA report, the percentage of women aged between 15 and 49 who had experienced physical violence, decreased in Mashonaland Central province, from 23,5 percent in 2010 to 15 percent in 2015.
Africa has 15 of the 20 countries in the world with the highest rates of child marriages.
According to Unicef, if the trend continues, the number of child brides in Africa is expected to double by 2050. — Zimpapers Syndication. GWERU mayor Councillor Charles Chikozho has censured chamber secretary Mr Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe for barring two councillors from attending a special council meeting last week for allegedly reporting late for the indaba.
Clrs Ernest Gudhuza and Tawanda Magidi of Wards 14 and 16 were allegedly barred from attending the special council meeting after the chamber secretary allegedly ordered security personnel who were manning council chambers not to allow anyone into the special council meeting for coming late.
Clr Chikozho said: “I actually learnt of the unfortunate incident after we had concluded business and we convened a meeting the following day. The issue was conclusively dealt with and such issues will not happen again.
“Therefore, no councillor shall be barred from attending business of council for whatever reason outside the rules of council. I have also instructed that the number of security personnel at the council chambers be reduced.”
He said according to council standing orders, only the mayor can sanction councillors on issues pertaining to full council meetings.
The mayor said the role of the chamber secretary is to take down minutes during special and full council meetings.
Mr Chikwekwe denied issuing an instruction to bar councillors.
He said his instruction was meant for the members of the public and the media who came late for full council meetings. “That instruction was meant for members of the public that they would not be allowed into the full council meeting if they come late. At no point did I instruct them to bar councillors from entering council chambers,” said Mr Chikwekwe.
On the day the meeting was held, Clr Gudhuza arrived at around 2:40PM when the meeting was already underway before he was turned away by security personnel who told him that they were working under Mr Chikwekwe’s instructions.
Clr Gudhuza abruptly left after exchanging harsh words with the security personnel before Clr Magidi arrived about 20 minutes later.
Clr Magidi tried to force himself into the council chambers but was overpowered by the security personnel and had to retreat.
He eventually left in a huff. — @lavuzigara1