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Anesu Kurebwaseka Mutare Bureau
CHILD marriages are rife in Manicaland Province, despite awareness campaigns against them. Manicaland is rated as the leading province in cases of child marriages, with Masvingo and Matabeleland South coming second and third, respectively. The percentage is said to have risen from 22 percent to 27 percent from 2010.

Speaking during a meeting in Mutare last week, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council named Mutare, Buhera, Makoni, Mutasa and Chipinge districts as the problem areas.

ZNFPC Mutare provincial manager Mr Dyson Masvingise said the issue was of major concern and there was need to put more effort to reduce the cases.

“The social behaviour change that we are being faced with is one of the major reasons for the continued increase in child marriages. Young children are now being exposed to sexual content at an early age forcing them to engage in sexual activities.

“Once it is discovered that they are pregnant, most of these girls are chased away from home and forced to marry the person who would have impregnated them. Other religious sects also arrange marriages for their children and these are some of the reasons that we are having an increase” he said.

Manicaland provincial administrator, Mr Edgar Seenza, said the issue of child marriages was a major concern and had to be looked from a different angle beside the push factor of cultural decadency.

“I am urging developmental organizations and the Department of Social Welfare to join hands with Government to fight this social ill. Research needs to be done to identify the major causes of the issue we have at hand. It is not just about cultural decadency, there is more to it

“We need to go into the communities and speak with parents, traditional leaders and the children themselves for us to find a lasting solution to the problem,” said Mr Seenza.

Mr Noah Kadzura of the Bio Medical Research and Training Institution, one of the stakeholders at the meeting, said people who roll out awareness campaigns should not just look at the children, but the society they are coming from as a whole.

“People should engage with the key holders of the community, parents and religious leaders and figure out the reasons behind these marriages. Just addressing the matter on a general surface will not help stop the problem at all,” he said.

Organisations like Simukai, Plan Zimbabwe, Dreams and FACT were mentioned as some of the developmental organisations who are helping girls who are victims of child marriages.