President Hakainde Hichilema, who is also the AU Presidential Champion on Ending Child Marriages, yesterday, officially launched the 2025 Report titled, “Towards a Transformative Agenda to End Child Marriage in Africa”.
The Head of State described the launch as a clarion call to action for accelerated efforts to eliminate child marriage.
“Africa accounts for 1 in 3 child marriages globally, with over 30 million girls married before 18. President Hichilema stressed that ending child marriage is crucial for achieving Agenda 2063, as girls are the future mothers of the next generation.” He stated.
The President urged strengthening legal frameworks to deter offenders, citing Zambia’s measures. However, he noted laws alone aren’t enough due to weak monitoring and compliance. He called for clarity on defining a child and universal birth registration to safeguard rights.
President Hichilema called on AU Member States to accelerate progress through 10 strategic pathways, including normative coherence, accountability, and transformative social protection, prioritizing children’s issues.
-ENDS-
Previous
Next
