SADC Summit to Address Child Marriage Crisis in Southern Africa
This gathering underscores the ongoing challenge of child marriage in Southern Africa and the need for collaborative efforts to address this human rights issue.
HARARE, Zimbabwe— A panel of experts will convene today to address the urgent issue of child marriage in Southern Africa, as part of a side event to the SADC People's Summit, writes Winston Mwale.
Hosted by Equality Now, the event titled "SADC End Child Marriage Campaign: From Commitment to Action" aims to assess progress in implementing the SADC Model Law on Ending Child Marriage across the region.
The panel discussion, scheduled for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Management Training Bureau in Harare, will bring together state, interstate, and non-state actors to examine the challenges and opportunities in ending child marriage.
Sally Ncube, Equality Now's Regional Representative for Southern Africa, will moderate the session.
Panelists include Hon. Anne Musiwa from the African Committee of Experts on The Rights and Welfare of the Child, and Mr. Sheuneni Kurasha from the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Other speakers will share experiences from Malawi and Zambia in promoting the domestication and implementation of the SADC Model Law.
The event comes amid concerns about the slow pace of progress in ending child marriage in Southern Africa.
Recent research from UNICEF suggests that at the current rate, it could take 200 years to eliminate the practice in the region.
Organizers hope the session will result in a co-created advocacy agenda and recommendations for SADC Heads of States to accelerate efforts to end child marriage and protect girls from sexual and gender-based violence.
The panel will also explore opportunities for legal reform, strategies for full implementation of anti-child marriage laws, and ways to strengthen accountability among SADC member states.
This gathering underscores the ongoing challenge of child marriage in Southern Africa and the need for collaborative efforts to address this human rights issue.