Zimbabwe Has More than a Million Child Brides

In Zimbabwe, one in three young women was married as a kid, and there are over a million child brides.

Precious Babbage, a UNICEF representative, made these remarks during the recent International Day of the Girl Child celebrations at Rupere Primary School in Marondera, which were hosted by Lily of Valleys Home of Hope.

Babbage, speaking in place of Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, the UNICEF official in Zimbabwe, stated that young girls deal with a variety of difficulties on a daily basis. Babbage was quoted by The Sunday Mail as saying:

Even though there has been progress in the field of gender equality, girls continue to face significant obstacles in a variety of domains, such as equal opportunities, gender-based violence, child marriage, nutrition, health, and education.

According to the data available, 22% of teenage girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have started having children. A third of maternal fatalities occur in teenagers aged 10 to 19.

More than 80,000 teenagers between the ages of 10 and 19 are HIV positive; 4.1% of females between the ages of 13 and 17 report having experienced sexual abuse; and over a million child brides—roughly one in three young women—live in Zimbabwe.

She asked all relevant partners to step up their support for young girls nationwide by twofold.

Babbage praised Lily of the Hope Foundation’s Valley Home for aiding young girls, particularly those living in rural areas.