THE role traditional leaders are playing in withdrawing under-age girls from early marriages in chiefdoms is indeed commendable.
Eight girls, six of whom were in grade six with two in grade nine were recently withdrawn by Chief Chiwala of the Lamba people after being married off by their own parents.
The move by Chief Chiwala to withdraw the eight girls aged between 15 and 17 years from early marriages in his chiefdom is really encouraging.
Indeed, it is also encouraging to learn that a committee to curb early marriages had already been set up in Chief Chiwala’s chiefdom.
What is even more encouraging is the fact that the chief with the support of the Victim Support Unit (VSC) had also been touring his chiefdom to educate his subjects about the dangers of early marriages.
Admitedly, traditional leaders have taken centre stage in the fight against early marriages.
In fact it is not too long ago when another chief of Choma, also championing the fight against early marriages, rescued a 13-year-old girl from a two-day marriage.
Chief Singani of Choma in particular rescued the girl after receiving a report of the marriage.
In this regard, it must be acknowledged that fighting bad vices such as early marriages either in chiefdoms, communities or townships success is most likely to be attained when the fight is done with the involvement of important focal points.
It is only fair to state that the fight against early marriages in chiefdoms, for example, cannot be won without the involvement of important focal point persons such as chiefs or headmen.
However, besides early marriages, another disturbing and worrying phenomenon against the girl-child in Zambia is defilement.
It is only correct to say that the world of the girl-child seems to be shrinking every minute as many are no longer safe, even with the people they should trust most.
True to this statement, it was only last week that a nine-year-old girl was defiled by her own father and hardly a week after, a father in Serenje is reported to have defiled his 13-year-old daughter.
The Serenje man is reported to have taken advantage of his daughter when he escorted her to collect her school results.
It is against this background, that some people suggest that the use of focal points even in the fight against defilement is also important.
In fact some scholars have proposed the introduction of SGBV (sexual and gender-based violence) topics in schools in an effort to fight SGBV, which if implemented would mean teachers in this case would be the focal points.
It is through these focal points that messages against defilement and early marriages can, without doubt, reach intended people in society.
So the onus is on Government ministries and non-governmental organisations to get involved in the fight against early marriages and defilements to ensure that they partner with important focal points such as chiefs, headmen, peer educators, role models, teachers and councilors, among others, to win the fight.
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