By BRIAN HATYOKA  –
THE NON – Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) in Southern Province has urged traditional leaders to take an active role to stop child marriages.
NGOCC Southern Province coordinator Faith Minja said there was need for chiefs  to help in the fight against child marriages as they were the key stakeholders.
Ms Minja said traditional leaders were the custodians of culture and traditions and they were better placed to stop increasing cases of early marriages in the country.
She was speaking in Livingstone at the weekend when NGOCC conducted a sensitisation campaign on against early marriages and constitution making process in Senior Chief Mukuni chiefdom of Kazungula District in Southern Province at the weekend.
“Our greatest appeal to traditional leaders is that they should play an active role to fight early marriages as they are key stakeholders.
“Without the help of traditional leaders, it will be difficult for the civil society and Government to win the battle on early marriages,” he said.
Ms Minja said most girls were dropping from schools in preference for marriage and hence there was need to have concerted efforts to fight the scourge.
She said NGOCC has embarked a campaign to sensitise communities against child marriages as well as on the constitution making process.
“We have started a project of empowering young women, who are victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV), in Monze and Kalomo.
“On the constitution making process, we are sensitizing the communities to take an active role and participate in the process so that the whole process is not left to politicians and the elites,” Ms Minja said.