Closing the chapter on child marriages is still a distant ambition in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Despite great strides at developing and passing legislation to eradicate it, existing and emerging drivers are still at play, making youngsters vulnerable to this harmful practice. These were the key messages shared by Equality Now at the Standing Meeting of the Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs in the SADC region.
Child marriage is a human rights violation that affects millions of girls around the world. According to a UNICEF report, at least 39,000 girls are forced into marriage every day and Africa accounts for 17% of global child marriages. In the SADC region alone, an estimated 15 million girls are married before the age of 18, compromising their health, education, and well-being.
The Standing Meeting of the Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs in the SADC region serves as a platform for member states to discuss and address key issues affecting women and girls in the region. This year, the focus was on child marriages and how to effectively prevent and end the practice.
Despite the efforts of SADC member states to develop and pass legislation to end child marriage, implementation and enforcement of these laws remain a challenge. Deep-rooted cultural and traditional beliefs, poverty, and lack of access to education and healthcare are some of the drivers that perpetuate child marriage in the region.
Equality Now, a global organization that works towards gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, highlighted the urgent need for action to address these drivers. In their presentation, they emphasized the importance of involving communities, particularly traditional and religious leaders, in efforts to end child marriage.
It is crucial to engage these leaders as they hold significant influence and power in shaping societal norms and traditions. By involving them, we can challenge harmful practices and promote positive attitudes towards ending child marriage.
Furthermore, Equality Now called for increased investment in education and healthcare for girls. Education is a powerful tool that can empower girls to make informed decisions about their lives and break the cycle of poverty. By ensuring access to quality education, we can also reduce the risk of child marriage as educated girls are more likely to delay marriage and have better economic opportunities.
In addition, access to healthcare is essential in providing girls with the necessary information and services to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. This includes access to contraception, sexual education, and safe abortion services for girls who become pregnant as a result of child marriage.
The Standing Meeting also stressed the importance of working with boys and men in the fight against child marriage. By educating and engaging men and boys, we can build a supportive environment that promotes gender equality and challenges harmful gender norms that perpetuate child marriage.
As we continue to work towards ending child marriage in the SADC region, we must also address the emerging drivers that make youngsters vulnerable to this harmful practice. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and put girls at an even higher risk of child marriage. Economic hardships, school closures, and disruptions in essential services have all contributed to the increase in child marriage cases during the pandemic.
To address this, governments must prioritize the protection of girls and ensure that they have access to support services and opportunities for education and economic empowerment. Civil society organizations, like Equality Now, must also continue to push for accountability and implementation of laws and policies aimed at ending child marriage.
In closing, while the goal of ending child marriage in the SADC region may seem distant, it is not impossible. By working together and addressing the drivers of child marriage, we can create a future where girls are able to reach their full potential, free from the harmful practice of child marriage. Let us continue to advocate for the rights and well-being of girls and ensure that the chapter on child marriage is closed once and for all in the SADC region.
