Curbing child marriages our duty, says chief

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 10:15:57 +0000

By ANNIE ZULU

 TRADITIONAL leaders should scale up efforts in curbing child marriages in Zambia, Chief Chipepo of the Tonga people of Southern Province has said.

Chief Chipepo noted that the fight against child marriages was cardinal to development.

He said although traditional leaders were instrumental in ending child marriages, there was need to put in more effort if the scourge was to be eliminated. 

“As traditional leaders we have been in the forefront in the fight against child marriage, but I feel we need to put in more effort so that the scourge can be minimised by 2030,” Chief Chipepo said.

He also emphasised the need to end gender-based violence (GBV).

The traditional leader stated that the vice still remained a huge concern in the country and required continuous attention by all stakeholders, including ordinary Zambians.

He said ending GBV was a responsibility that every Zambian should embrace.

Chief Chipepo said traditional leaders would continue using their powers to ensure that their subjects avoided acts that violated women’s rights and that of young girls.

“Most of these GBV problems are thought to be cultural yet they are not, but because it has been consistently happening people now attribute it to be part of our culture. So we will continue fighting GBV as traditional leaders,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chief implored Government to empower women and girls.

He said women and girls’ empowerment was essential since it formed part of the hardest working people in the communities.