Mozambique among worst early marriage offenders in the world – Government

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Mozambique among worst early marriage offenders in the world – Government

1:40 CAT | 12 Apr 2016

With 48 percent of girls marrying before the age of 18, Mozambique is among the ten countries with the highest percentage of early marriage worldwide, the Minister of Gender, Women and Social Action has admitted.

Cidália Chauque, who was speaking during the launch of a national strategy countering early marriage said that among the ten worst offenders, seven are African countries.

Demographic and health data indicate that among women currently aged between 20 and 24 years, 48 percent were married before the age of 18 and 14 percent before the age of 15.

“The early marriages are a violation of children’s rights and have serious consequences for the development of society as a whole,” said the minister, adding that the Mozambican government has made efforts to combat this problem.

In order to combat early marriages, the government wants to ratify regional and international conventions on the rights of children and women and adopt legislation enhancing girls’ protection. These measures would run in tandem with strategies to raise awareness among families, religious and traditional leaders and communities.

Cultural factors and high illiteracy rates are singled out as the main causes behind early marriage in Mozambique. In many cases, custom legitimises early marriage to the extent that, in some provinces, a girl can be promised to a man even before birth for the payment of a debt or for services provided by a traditional healer.

In more remote areas in Mozambique, women’s participation in decision-making is still a challenge, and the government has adopted policies of inclusion such as access to education as a way of responding to the situation.

Source: Lusa