BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The United Nations and its partners have called for collective efforts by Government, families, communities and other stakeholders to eliminate child marriages and protect girls’ rights.
In a press statement ahead of the International Day of the Girl 2026, commemorated on October 11, the UN and its partners said ending child marriages required sustained investment in girls’ rights, education, health and empowerment.
The day is being commemorated under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights”.
The partners said while Zimbabwe had made progress in advancing girls’ rights, child marriage and teenage pregnancy continued to threaten their health, education and future opportunities.
An estimated one in three girls in Zimbabwe is married before the age of 18, while 23 percent of girls aged between 15 and 19 have begun childbearing.
UN Resident Coordinator Rosemary Kalapurakal said child marriages and teenage pregnancies undermined girls’ rights and perpetuated poverty, inequality and exclusion.
“Behind these statistics are girls whose education is interrupted, whose health and wellbeing are put at risk, and whose opportunities to participate fully in society are constrained,” she said.
She said eliminating child marriages and addressing teenage pregnancy were critical investments in Zimbabwe’s social and economic development.
The UN, working with the Government of Zimbabwe and Plan International Zimbabwe, said ending the practices required more than legal and policy reforms, calling for greater involvement from all sectors of society.
Government, civil society organisations, communities, development partners and the private sector were urged to invest in programmes that ensure girls have access to quality education, comprehensive health services and protection from violence and harmful practices.
The partners also called for increased opportunities for girls to participate in leadership, develop skills and achieve economic empowerment.
They said parents, caregivers, traditional and religious leaders, boys, men and educators had a critical role to play in challenging social and gender norms that contribute to child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
Initiatives such as the Not-in-My-Village Campaign to End Adolescent Pregnancy, the Not-In-My-School campaign and the Prevention of Child Marriages and Child Labour initiative demonstrate the importance of mobilising communities to address the challenges.
The partners also emphasised the need to put girls at the centre of programmes and decisions affecting their lives, noting that they were not merely beneficiaries of development initiatives but also leaders and agents of change.
They called on Government and its partners to ensure commitments were backed by adequately funded programmes that reach every girl, particularly the most vulnerable.
Communities and families were urged to challenge harmful practices and support girls to remain in school, while the private sector was encouraged to invest in their skills and opportunities for decent work.
The partners said progress should be measured by tangible improvements in the lives of girls rather than promises made.
They added that eliminating child marriages, addressing teenage pregnancy and investing in girls’ rights would contribute to stronger families, resilient communities and a more equitable and prosperous Zimbabwe.
