Platform for Youth
Development recently launched a community project aimed at strengthening young
women and girls in building their capacities to defend themselves against
harmful cultural practices. The project that is ongoing in Chipinge district is
making impact in areas, especially those along the border with Mozambique where
abuse of women and girls are rampant and uninterrupted.
According to statistics
provided by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), 15 out of 20 countries
with the highest rate of child marriages are in Africa with Sub Saharan Africa
having 39 percent. Back home, PYD estimates that 1 in every 2 marriages taking
place in Chipinge involves girls who are less than 18 years of age. This
constitutes a serious concern that must involve strong advocacy targeted at key
community stakeholders who can influence change. PYD as campaigners against
child marriages believes the constitution, the recent Con Court ruling as well
as other international legal and policy instruments at its disposal can be
effective tools to fighting against the vice.
The ambitious youth
group is committed to tackle ignorance and lack of proper education which has
contributed in limiting existing efforts to deal with child marriages. The Gender
and Advocacy Officer Ms.CynthiaGwenzi admits that the advocacy against child
marriages is not a new project but an important one because of its impact to the
rural communities such as Chipinge.
“It is on record that in Chipinge girls are married at a very young age
thereby undermining their potential to contribute to the socio-economic value
of their communities” said Gwenzi.
By marrying young,
these girls are exposed to so many risks that involve dropping out of school,
sexual and physical abuse, limited independence and high maternal mortality.
Debra Dube agrees with Cynthia, confirming that girls who are less than 18
years are psychologically not expected to give free, prior and informed consent
to their marriage partners or to the timing of their marriage.
“I am a victim having to drop out of school while in form three and
becoming a mother at 15 years” said Debra.
Debra is now part of 20
gender activists working under the Platform for Youth banner in building the
capacities of young women to defend themselves against harmful cultural
practices such as the normalization of child marriages.
According the PYD Board
Chair Sally Nobuhle Mlambo, Platform for Youth Development will succeed in its
objectives to capacitate young women and girls to confront harmful gender based
practices.
“Basing on the reception we are getting in the wards we have penetrated,
the task before us is challenging but not insurmountable. PYD is strategic and
we will involve other stakeholders with more experience to overcome some of the
complicated cases” Nobuhle said.
PYD is concerned that this year alone, the numbers
of child marriages and unwanted pregnancies have increased. The increase has
been attributable to the desperation and hunger induced by the Elnino drought
of the 2014/2015 farming season. Parents are struggling to raise fees and to
provide food, making the situation untenable.PYD is handling cases of parents
actually taking the initiative to offer their daughters to well off families,
inorder to survive the drought.
The other organizations
working in Chipinge to deal with issues of children’s rights and welfare are
Plan International and Child Line.
Inserted by PYD Information Department
P.Bag 5004, Checheche, Chipinge
For more Information Contact PYD Director
on +263 773 010 331/ + 263 714 179 219 and PYD Board Chair on +263 772 896 458
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