Child marriage in Zimbabwe a real pandemic- 1 in 3 girls marry before 18

The religious factor

Zimstat’s 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) found that the highest prevalence of child marriages, 50.9%, is among families whose heads identified their religion as “traditional.”

Protestants – who include Adventists, Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians – have the lowest prevalence of child marriages, 16.2%.

Poverty

Data shows there is a positive correlation between child marriages and poverty. More children from poor households get married early, compared to those with higher incomes.

What does the law say?

The Constitution of Zimbabwe, adopted in 2013, sets 18 years as the minimum age of marriage in Zimbabwe.

In January 2016, the Constitutional Court struck down a section of the Marriage Act, which had, for years, allowed children under the age of 18 years to marry. This was because that particular section was inconsistent with the Constitution.

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