IT appears that even though there has been sustained programmes to fight the retrogressive practice of marrying off young girls, there are still areas where it is still rife.
Those who have continued to marry off their girl-children do not realise the harm they are doing to the health and general well-being of their children.
Society therefore must not relent in its fight to end this evil practice done under the guise of traditional customs. It is a harmful practice that has no place in modern society.
It is in this vein that we commend the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) that has retrieved over 300 girls from child marriages in Kapiri-Mposhi.
NGOCC board secretary, Patricia Mukumbuta has said the organisation is stepping up its efforts in ensuring more girl-children were retrieved from early marriages and taken back to school.
Those families who want to destroy the future of their girl-children by marrying them off, often times for monetary gain, must be condemned.
We are glad that the government has taken a hard stand against such practices which are common in rural areas.
But it is surprising that the 300 girls were retrieved in the Kapiri-Mposhi area which we believe should have an enlightened population who should be in the know about the government’s stand on child-marriages.
This in a way shows the amount of work in form of sensitisation that needs to be done not only in remote areas but even along the line of rail in the case of Kapiri-Mposhi.
According to Ms Mukumbuta, the organisation has been engaging parents in retrieving girls from child marriages to help them to get back to school through the government re-entry policy.
And to show its commitment to helping the girl-children return school and resume their studies, the NGOCC donated solar lights to girls who have been retrieved from child marriages in Kampumba area of Kapiri Mposhi.
She said the NGOCC is aware that girls especially in rural areas do house chores leaving them with little time to study.
“Our thinking is that these lights will help stretch the day for the girls and help them to study when they are done with chores,” she said.
Ms Mukumbuta emphasised the organisation’s commitment to help more girls get an education. With the government’s free education policy, parents do not have any excuse about expenses which has been taken care of.
We feel families who rush their children into early marriages are a hindrance to national development.
As Ms Mukumbuta observed, the overall motive of taking the girl-children back to school is to ensure gender equality in all sectors of the economy which is affected because of the literacy levels among the girl-children.
She rightly noted that leaving women behind will affect the complementarity needed to drive the development process of the country.
It is important that in doing this, the girl-children are also exposed to the country’s female role models and make them aspire to succeed.
NGOCC Programmes Manager, Ireen Mukete said the organisation is keen to have girls participate in national development.
She stressed the need to help young girls prepare for their future roles of contributing to the governance of the country.
“We need to start preparing young people to take up the mantle of leadership by seeing to it that they get educated at all costs,” she said.
These are noble ideals which must be supported by all Zambians as they must strive and ensure that the girl-child is not left behind but allowed to pursue her dreams.
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