A 16-year-old Form One pupil of Tasala Primary School in Petauke District, has been saved from a forced marriage by the District Child Protection Committee, with support from UNICEF under the Global Programme to End Child Marriages (ECM).
The child narrated that her mother wanted to marry her off to a man of Chikade area, and was currently engaged as a means of ensuring another man does not take her.
ZANIS reports that speaking during the intervention, Petauke District Guidance and Counselling Coordinator Chungu Ingwa said it was against the law to have a child married off whether it’s their will or it’s a parent’s will.
Mr Ingwa explained that the government has prioritised the development of a child and hence the need to protect and safeguard the child.
“The major thing is that we are appealing to you as parents, I am sure you are aware of the laws that are to do with a child. At her age, even if it was her decision to get married, it will be said that it was the parent that forced her into marriage, and that means you will get in trouble with the law. The government is focused on the girl child so that she can get an education. The day the government hears that you have married off a child just knows that you are in hot soup,” he said.
And the District Social Welfare Officer Moffat Phiri explained the Children’s Code Act number 12 of 2022, stating that the Act now gave more authority to key institutions to execute and enforce the law as regards child marriages.
Mr Phiri said the government’s focus was on the best interest of the child.
“The Children’s Code Act Number 12 of 2022 is a law that has been instituted by the government. Such matters we get involved in. But now the law gives us the authority both on the side of the child if the child is misbehaving and on the side of the parents. What we want is the best interest of the child, we want the child to grow in a conducive environment for both the parent and the child. At the end of the day we want this child to grow into a responsible citizen,” he said.
Tasala Primary School Head Teacher Mary Malambo indicated that the school undertakes talks to the learners on abstinence, teen pregnancy and child marriages.
“We take our learners and talk to them so we talk to them on teen pregnancies, child marriages, no wonder she thought of talking to us. We also have organisations that talk to them,” she said.
The Child earlier narrated that she was being pressured to get into marriage stating that she was told that once she finds a man that can take care of her, she needs to submit to the said man.
“She wants me to get married. I was told that even if you are a pupil, if you find a man who is taking care of you, it is to allow him to keep you. Which means I would have halted my school,” she said.
And the mother Dorothy Phiri appreciated the intervention that will better the relationship between her and her child.
Ms Phiri promised to adhere to the law and not marry her child off.
“We have had a fruitful discussion, I am grateful for what has been said here,” she said.
As part of case management the team from the District Child Protection Committee visited the school and held a case conference with the family and the teachers to discuss the matter.
