By Memory Mudzani
Zimbabwe has been fighting for women and girls rights which includes trying to eradicate early child marriages over the past twenty years and it has remained high in Zimbabwe due to many factors mainly economic instability.
Child marriage has remained widespread in Zimbabwe, Parents and guardians are being accused to be the reason why their children getting married at an early age.
In an interview with a lady from Kwekwe who identified herself as Martha Mapipi ,she told this publication that most parents nowadays no longer have time for their children ,they are more concerned about making money , hustling and doing their business leaving their children vulnerable to men who will pretend to be caring to these young girls with intentions to take advantage of them.
Mapipi further said that parents needs to make time for their children especially the girl child because she is more vulnerable to be a prey of men, they need to give an ear to their children and guide them.
Another woman who identified herself as Caroline from Redcliff said that parents needs to take good care of their children and provide for them so that they will not get involved with men in order to get small things they want.
Caroline also said that food insecurity experienced in Zimbabwe has also contributed to early child marriages because young girls are now getting involved with men in exchange for food staffs and material things ,she gave an example of how young girls in kwekwe are dating artisanal miners who gave them gifts and she blame parents for being irresponsible.
Tatenda Maposa the executive Director of Girl Child Empowerment of Zimbabwe told this reporter that they cannot blame guardians and family alone on child marriage issue, there are a number of factors which are currently fueling child marriages such as religion coupled with culture and child behavioral tendencies.
Maposa said there is need for structural, community and individual strategies to tackle factors fueling child marriages, he also mentioned that there should be a combination of strategies that target socio-cultural, economic lives of people and also include poverty reduction in these strategies.
Maposa further said that he thinks that if education access is improved ,life skills, enforcement of legal frameworks, registration of marriages, awareness creation through sex education, accessible adolescent friendly health services, investigative journalism, safe space – role models concept, effective monitoring and evaluation of programs will help in eradicating child marriages.
Mr Fanigwa from Amaveni kwekwe said Family honor also contribute to early child marriages because if a girl fall pregnant while at her parents’ home she is sometimes forced to marry to mitigate the shame so there is need to educate parents on the effects of forced marriages, educate children on sex so that they will understand what they are getting their selves in because some children marries at an early age because of peer pressure .
