One in every 3 Zimbabwean girls married before 18 – report
Compared to only 1 in every 50 boys married before 18
By Caleb Chikwawawa
At least 33,9 percent of Zimbabwean girls got married before turning the age of 18, with 5 percent of them going into matrimony before 15, a report has revealed.
In a speech read on her behalf by a representative during a recent National Gender-Based Violence Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue in Harare, Women Affairs, Small to Medium Enterprises Monica Mutsvangwa bemoaned the frightening statistic which she said continued to rob the girl child of a future.
“The findings from the 2019 macro indicator cluster survey reveal the stark reality that 33.9% of girls in Zimbabwe were married before the age of 18, with 5% entering into marriages before their 15th birthday, compared to 2% of boys married before reaching 18,” she said.
Mutsvangwa said the statistics show that child marriages mainly affected girls as compared to boys adding that the problem still persists in spite of legal and policy efforts put in place by government.
“Child marriage is extremely indicative of unequal power dynamics between men and women,” she said.
“Statistical data reveals a disproportionately high prevalence of child marriage among girls compared to boys.
“This disparity has significant implications for education and educational attainment, employment opportunities, and access to productive resources, with girls trailing behind boys in all these facets.
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“Consequently, this perpetuates an intergenerational cycle of poverty among girls who marry early, limiting their access to education, employment opportunities, economic resources, leadership role, information, and sexual and reproductive health services.
“The findings from the 2019 macro indicator cluster survey reveal the stark reality that 33.9% of girls in Zimbabwe were married before the age of 18, with 5% entering into marriages before their 15th birthday, compared to 2% of boys married before reaching 18.
“When I read these statistics, I cried.
“Just the thought of it. My child was a baby. How do other people look at their babies as women? I don’t know whether we are together.
“My child was a baby, even at 19. These statistics underscore the considerable magnitude of the challenge that confronts our nation.”
Minister Mutsvangwa challenged stakeholders to “confront a pressing issue that affects the lives of countless children”.
“Child marriage is not merely a statistical concern. It is a profound violation of human rights and a barrier to development. It robs young girls of their childhood, their education and their future,” Mutsvangwa said.
According to the report, most cases are occurring in rural and impoverished areas.
The indaba coincided with the launch of findings on the analysis of laws and policies in place to protect and support child marriage survivors.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders including the chairperson of Zimbabwe Gender Commission and Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson Jessie Majome.
