Extent and Impact of Child Marriage in 4 Districts of Mansa, Chadiza, Chibombo and Mazabuka in Zambia

Background:
The Child Marriages research is part of the Plan Zambia / Plan Norway NORAD funded project of Child Survival under the 2008-2010 Plan Norway/NORAD Framework Agreement.

The Child Marriage Study was undertaken in the program areas of Plan Zambia namely: Chadiza, Chibombo, Mansa and Mazabuka in order to generate information on the extent, causes and consequences of early marriage in these areas. The study further identified which groups of children, by gender and age, are most affected by this practice as well as assessing the impact of early marriages to babies born to these young mothers and the health of the young girls. The study methodology involved literature review, semi structured interviews, Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions conducted in all 4 program districts of Plan Zambia namely: Chadiza, Chibombo, Mansa and Mazabuka. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The qualitative data was collected through Key Informants Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire that targeted children affected by early marriages. Over 90% of the interview participants were girls reflecting the predominance of the early marriage amongst girls.Key findings:Recommendations:The study purposefully targeted children in early marriages as one of the key respondents in this study.

1.

Community mobilization through awareness-raising campaigns

There is need to effectively mobilize the community to take up the issue of early marriage through involvement of influential people such as traditional, political and religious leaders. Peer groups of parents could be formed that would provide a forum for sharing experiences as well as promoting role models.

2. Provision of economic opportunities

Addressing the economic factors that underlie early marriage is vital. When jobs and other sources of income are available, both daughters and parents may become interested in delaying marriage as they will have means to earn a living.

3. Addressing gender biases

There is need to address societal norms that view girls as a burden if the practice is to be avoided. Traditions promoting early marriage need to be challenged.

4. Enforcement of the law

There should be strict enforcement of existing laws and policies that prohibit early marriages. The law enforcement agencies’ capacity needs to be built in order for them to discharge their duties effectively.

5. Promoting education for girls

There is need to emphasise the acceptance of education as a desirable activity for girls during their adolescent years in order to ensure increased school enrolment. The provision of scholarships can have an immediate effect in delaying marriage.

6. Provide support for girls who are in early marriage

This can be done through expanding their networks, providing information on reproductive health and HIV to married girls and their partners as well as promoting continued education.

7. Further research needed on impact of early marriage

There is need for further research to explore the impact of early marriage particularly on boys and men. This should qualitatively explore the dynamics such as the reasons why men prefer younger girls, in order to inform programming strategies. In addition, a community survey based on probability sampling should be conducted to establish the prevalence of early marriage in the study sites.

8. Harmonize customary and common laws

There is need to reconcile customary and common law. In cases of dispute between the two, the latter should prevail.

 

 

The Child Marriages research is part of the Plan Zambia / Plan Norway NORAD funded project of Child Survival under the 2008-2010 Plan Norway/NORAD Framework Agreement.

Purpose/objective:

Methodology:

1. The study confirms the negative impact of early marriage on continuation of education especially by girls. Girls who were forced into early marriages are less likely to go beyond primary education. On the other hand the study shows that girls who continued beyond primary education were less likely to be victims of early / child marriages.

2. It was found that nearly two thirds (2/3) of all the early marriages in this study, entered into marriages at ages of between 14-15 years, usually marrying men who are much older than them and usually total strangers to the girls, at least prior to their marriage.

3. Focus Group discussions reported declining trends in child marriages over the years. However, no hard data was available to confirm this assertion. The focus group discussion participants also generally approved of early marriages as acceptable or tolerable for girls than boys because of the perceived future breadwinning roles of boys, which meant that they were required to spend longer time in school to get a better future job.

4. The majority of the young people who enter into marriages as children did so at the decision and influence of parents and guardians. A number of those involved in child marriages expressed their regret at this state of affairs in their lives and said if they had a chance to choose they would never choose to be involved in early marriages.

5. Significantly most of the respondents involved in child marriages tended to have their female parent (mother) who was also uneducated or had not gone beyond primary education. The study also notes that most families studied do not favour support of girls’ education after they reach puberty.

6. The common causes of marriage as per this study include: poverty, culture and tradition in interest of preservation of girls’ sexual purity before marriage, parents’ lack of knowledge of the negative consequences of the child marriage practice coupled with their ignorance of the laws as well as lack of enforcement of the same and inadequate / lack of care for orphans which forces them to enter into marriages early as a way of escape.

7. Some of the negative consequences of early marriages as reported by the respondents in this study include: marriage break ups since most of these marriages were based on coercion, affects children’s educational completion and attainment, health impacts on girls during pregnancy and child birth etc and also children who entered into marriages were more isolated from social interaction with their peers.

8. While the legal age for marriage in Zambia is set at 21 years, it is understood from this study that many young Zambians particularly girls, enter marriage even before age 18. In practice customary laws that approve of such marriages of children have more influence and recognition amongst the communities than they recognize the constitutional law regarding minimum age of marriage.