. Wina

By SARAH TEMBO, MWANGALA LISELI  and CHATULA KAMPO –
EIGHT per cent of girls in Zambia are married off by the age of 15, it has been learnt.
Senior Education Officer Oswell Nakachinda disclosed in Lusaka yesterday that Government was aware of the challenges and was working urgently to address the situation.
He said a further 24 per cent of girls were married off before the age of 18.
“The challenges faced by our girl learners are immense. Many are victims of early and forced marriages, early pregnancies, harmful cultural practices and walking long distances to school,” Mr Nakachinda said.
Mr Nakachinda said this at the girl’s leadership summit at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
He said Government had so far put in place a number of measures to correct the current situation.
“A number of polices have been put in place in favour of the girl child which include re-admission policy, whereby drop outs due to pregnancy are allowed to be re-admitted,” he said.
He called on stakeholders to join hands with Government in efforts to protect the girl child in the Zambian society.
Meanwhile, Gender Minister Inonge Wina says she was eager to see more girls participate and excel in mathematics and science subjects.
Ms Wina said the subjects were a pre requisite for entry into fields of engineering and science subjects which were crucial to national development.
Ms Wina was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the commemoration of the International Day of the girl child. Ms Wina said this year’s theme “Zambia at 50, Empowering Adolescent Girls Ending the Cycle of Violence was timely to the nation as it enabled the country to reflect on its commitment towards the girl child.
Ms Wina also said Government was concerned at the high level of violation of children’s rights.
Meanwhile, Government says there is need to end the cycle of violence among women by investing in and empowering adolescent girls.
Ndola District Administrative Officer (DAO) Taphen Mulungo said investing in and empowering a girl child would prevent and eliminate various forms of violence adolescent girls’ experience.
He said girls in society were the most vulnerable as some were forced to drop out of school for house chaos while others forced into marriage.