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Herald Reporter

The European Union delegation to Zimbabwe and UNICEF Zimbabwe have called for continued investment towards the education and empowerment of adolescent girls as they play a crucial role in the development of the country.

This comes as Zimbabwe today joins the World in celebrating International Day of the Girl Child.

“In the last 10 years, there has been increased attention worldwide amongst governments, policymakers and the public on issues that matter to girls, and more opportunities were created for girls to have their voices heard. Yet, investments in the rights of adolescent girls remain limited at the global level. Girls continue to confront a myriad of challenges to fulfil their full potential,” the agencies said in a statement.

In line with the Zimbabwe Constitution and under the theme of “leaving no-one and no place behind”, the National Development Strategy (NDS-1) prioritizes gender equality and women empowerment. In this context, Zimbabwe has seen the attention for girls growing, including for gender-based violence.

The country recently adopted the Marriages Act which forbids the marriage of children under the age of 18, and the Government has rolled-out the successful Spotlight Initiative programme to protect girls and young women against sexual abuse and exploitation, with the support of the European Union and the UN system.

“The growing attention for adolescent girls and their empowerment goes beyond their rights to protection against violence, and also includes access to education and skills development and to adequate health care services, including for HIV/Aids. The challenges girls in Zimbabwe face remain important, including the risk of becoming pregnant or married at an early age,” said the statement.

Child marriage has a devastating impact on the lives of adolescent girls. It disrupts childhood and often leads to early pregnancies with health complications, and school drop-out, preventing girls from developing their full potential. One woman out of three is married before the age of 18.

The EU and Unicef said to end child marriage, the perception of the role of women in society needed to change with adolescent girls being given the opportunity to develop their full potential as equal members in society.

“Equipped with the right resources, opportunities and an enabling environment, these girls will become a powerful generation of female leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers building Zimbabwe into a prosperous country for all,” they said.