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Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats (LEAD) are deeply concerned and outraged by the latest statistics reported by the National AIDS Council (NAC), which revealed that 13,353 teenage girls were impregnated in Manicaland Province in 2024.
Linda Masarira, the President of LEAD, said even more alarming is the fact that 161 girls dropped out of school due to child marriages, with 12 of them being primary school learners.
“This is not just a statistic. It is a national crisis and a blatant violation of the rights of the girl child. The fact that three primary school learners were impregnated and many more forced into marriage should shock the conscience of every Zimbabwean. It is unacceptable that in this day and age, our young girls are still being robbed of their childhood, education, health, and future opportunities due to poverty, sexual abuse, harmful cultural practices, and the failure of state institutions to protect them,” Masarira said.
The Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats make the following demands and recommendations:
- Immediate Investigation and Prosecution: All cases of child rape, statutory rape, and child marriages must be thoroughly investigated. Perpetrators including guardians, religious leaders, and community members must face the full wrath of the law.
- Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Education: The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education must implement robust sexual and reproductive health programs in schools, particularly in rural and vulnerable communities.
- Economic Empowerment and Protection of the Girl Child: We call for targeted interventions to lift families out of poverty and empower girls through access to education, mentorship, skills development, and protection services.
- Ban Harmful Cultural and Religious Practices: Traditional and religious leaders must be held accountable if they promote or allow child marriages under the guise of culture or faith. These practices must be outlawed and punished.
- Reinforce the Role of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and Child Protection Committees: These institutions must be capacitated to monitor, investigate, and prevent violations of girls’ rights across the country.
- Community-Led Awareness Campaigns: We support initiatives such as #NotInMyVillage and call for a nationwide expansion of similar campaigns that sensitize communities about the dangers and consequences of child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
LEAD said the situation must be treated as a national emergency.
“We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand while the futures of thousands of young Zimbabwean girls are being destroyed. If the government continues to neglect this crisis, LEAD will not hesitate to escalate this matter to regional and international human rights bodies. Every child deserves a childhood. Every girl deserves an education. Every leader must protect them.”
