Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:13:16 +0000 By ANNIE ZULU THE practice of child marriage, defined as a formal marriage or an informal union of anyone younger than the age of 18, is a reality that continues to affect many children globally and Zambia is no exception. Zambia is among the top 20 countries with the highest prevalence rate of child marriage in the world. Although the scourge affects both boys and girls, the latter are disproportionally victims. According to the 2013-2014 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) 17 percent of girls aged 15-19 are married compared to only 1 percent of boys of the same age group and 42 percent of women aged 20-49 report having married before the age of 18, compared to 4.2 percent of men. What are the causes of child marriage in Zambia? Poverty Many families in Zambia especially in rural areas are still living in object poverty, therefore, poverty […]
