First Lady Esther Lungu says the Day of the African Child presents an opportunity for the country to step up efforts aimed at combating child marriages.
ZANIS reports that Mrs Lungu said the occasion should be incorporated in the national agenda and framework, to promote the rights of children, from child marriages and other vices that hinder their advancement in life.
The First Lady paid glowing tribute to traditional leaders in North-western Province and across the country for championing the eradication of child marriages.
Mrs Lungu urged traditional leaders in North-western Province to however scale up efforts in ending child marriages in their chiefdoms.
She said traditional leaders in the region have done well in committing to addressing teenage pregnancies and other vices.
Mrs Lungu said she will work towards strengthening partnerships with traditional leaders and other stakeholders to curb child marriages and abuse.
She pledged to continue lobbying and engaging government and cooperating partners towards improving the educational, health and social welfare of children in the country.
Mrs Lungu also urged young persons and children to stand up for their rights and speak against vices being inflicted on them.
The First lady urged young persons and children to use their talents for their personal development and contribute to the country’s development.
Mrs Lungu is in North-western Province to commemorate the Day of the African Child in Chief Chibwika’s chiefdom in Mwinilunga district.
The Day of the African Child is commemorated to honour children killed in the Soweto uprising in 1976 who were protesting against poor quality of education.
And Mwinilunga District Commissioner Mwiya Tulani said traditional leaders in the district are playing a pivotal role in curbing Child marriages.
Mr Tulani commended government for putting in place interventions such as the Girls Education, Women Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) project as it will help address child marriages as affected girls will be given an opportunity to go back to school.
The District Commissioner said 600 vulnerable girls have already been identified and are waiting for release of funds to implement the project in the district.
Improve the lives of people and economic life in both rural and urban areas and you will drastically reduce early child marriages. Child marriages are therefore not only a moral and cultural issue but mainly an economic one.There is just too much poverty in Zambia today especially in rural areas which leaves many families in hopelessness and desperation.It is in this respect a crime for a leader to purchase a Gulfstream Jet just for himself in the midst of such poverty.It is also a crime for a so called First Lady to travel to USA with a 22 member delegation for two weeks just to receive a fire tender collections for our museums.How, if you are so wasteful, can you pretend to fight child marriages?
First lady just like her husband and entire GRZ seam to miss an opportunity here, the child marriage they’re complaining about is just the final disease. All the economic symptoms are open and clear, she is part of the treasury looters the country has. Work on improving people economic situations all across the country, a project that can take a decade then we can come back and review the child marriage