Rampant child marriages and sexaul violence worry NGO

Plan International Zambia has expressed concern over the increasing number of child marriages and sexual violence in Luapula province.

Plan International Zambia programme manager at Mansa office Lizzy Mwindilila said
her organization was worried at that invreasing number of children were dropping out
of school in the provinve due to pregnancies and early marriages.

Ms Mwindilila said a rapid assessment done by her organization revealed that 147
pupils from seven basic schools stopped school due to pregnancies and forced
marriages in Mansa district between 2005 and this year.

Ms Mwindilila was speaking yesterday during the Child Protection Stakeholders’
meeting in Mansa.

Ms Mwindilila said government’s efforts to strengthen the law against sexual
violence were being defeated by the silence surrounding sexual violence at family
level.

She said this situation was making it difficult for law enforcement officers to
prosecute the perpetrators of sexual violence.

The manager said sexual violence against children was now becoming a chronic problem
 which if left unchecked had the potential to thwart developmental efforts and also
affect the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

She said abuse cases involving fellow children were also on the increase in the
province.

Ms. Mwindilila warned that Plan International Zambia had no kind words for the
perpetrators of sexual violence and it condemns the evil act in the strongest
terms.

Ms. Mwindilila also called upon parents, guardians, traditional and other leaders
in the community, the church, NGOs and government to be actively participant in the
fight against sexual abuse.