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John Murwira Correspondent
Zanu-PF Women’s League has resolved to tackle child marriages through campaigns that expose the role of relatives in the scourge. It is illegal to marry a girl under the age of 18 in Zimbabwe.

In an interview, Zanu-PF provincial health secretary Cde Precious Chenhamo Masango said the party was implementing measures to help in addressing the problem of child marriages.

“As women, and Zanu-PF in particular, we have embarked on a massive campaign to reduce child marriage cases,” said Cde Masango.

Makonde and Hurungwe districts have the highest cases of child marriage in Mashonaland West. The campaign also seeks to alert teenagers on the dangers of early marriages. Early marriages are usually associated with divorce and gender based violence.

“We are engaging traditional leaders and other grassroots leaders educating them on the current laws,” said Cde Masango. “They are then expected to cascade that message to everyone.”

Last year, legislators signed a declaration against early marriages. The declaration reads: “We members of Parliament of Zimbabwe, cognisant of the need to protect and advance the welfare of the girl child, concerned that girls, in particular adolescent girls, continue to be silent and invisible victims of violence, abuse and exploitation, sign this petition.”

Legislators also called for the domestication of the international law that protects the girl child.