The ManicaPost
THE nation is once again seized with the issue of child marriages following the recent death of Anna Machaya who passed on while giving birth at a Johanne Marange Apostolic Church shrine in the Marange area of Mutare District.
The sad demise of the 14-year-old girl has united the nation in calling for increased efforts to end child marriages especially in indigenous churches and some remote parts of the country.
Some cases have gone unreported and the perpetrators are allowed to get away with murder at a time the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals call for global action to end this human rights violation by 2030.
As people are battling to come to terms with Anna Machaya’s death, another 13-year-old Buhera girl, Violet Mushati’s whereabouts are unknown after she ‘disappeared’ during the same church gathering.
In both cases, parents or guardians are implicated in the little girls’ ‘marriages of connivance’ and this leaves one with butterflies in the tummy.
Who will protect these innocent souls if those expected to do so are neglecting their duties with impunity?
Can we surely sacrifice our children’s future for the love of sweet goodies and a few pieces of silver?
While child marriage refers to any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child, for lack of education, most parents are not even aware of the reproductive process as well as the dangers that girls face when giving birth at such a tender age.
Parents and guardians should not look at marriage as a source of income as these are short-lived benefits.
Everyone should be reminded that education is a better investment in the long-term that will bring the family more resources.
It should also be noted that child marriages rob girls of their childhood and threatens their health and lives.
Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school.
They have worse economic and health outcomes than their unmarried peers, which are eventually passed down to their own children, further straining the country’s capacity to provide quality health and education services.
Because child marriage impacts a girl’s health, future and family, it imposes substantial economic costs at the national level, too, with major implications for development and prosperity.
It is everyone’s duty to ensure that girls are protected and that their rights are upheld and respected.
As a nation, we should all strive to ensure that the girl child is in school for a long time as education plays a critical role in keeping girls safe from early marriages.
In fact, the longer a girl stays in school, the less likely she is to be married before age 18 and have children during her teenage years.
Education also ensures that girls acquire the skills and knowledge to create or find employment and a means to support their families.
This can help break the cycle of poverty and prevent child marriages that occur as a result of extreme poverty and selfish financial gain.
Every girl has the right to decide her own future, but not every girl knows this.
That is why empowering girls is so crucial to ending child marriage.
When girls are confident in their abilities, armed with knowledge of their rights and supported by peer groups of other empowered girls, they are able to stand up and say “NO” to injustices like child marriage.
Empowered girls are able to re-shape perspectives and challenge conventional norms of what it means to be a girl.
Efforts by Government to end child marriages through the Marriage Bill should be applauded and we call upon the country’s lawmakers to speed up the passing of this important legislation.
It is also imperative to continue raising awareness of these laws among all line ministries, traditional leaders and the community at large to ensure their enforcement.
When parents and community leaders are educated about the many negative consequences of child marriage, it can inspire them to change their views, speak up for girls’ rights and encourage others to do the same.
Time is now ripe to end child marriages, so let us all join hands and bring this scourge to a screeching halt.
