Government has attributed the increased number of child marriages to the dual marriage system in Zambia.
Gender Minister Nkandu Luo said in Mambwe that the customary law and statutes of Zambia does not define the age of marriage.
Prof Luo said that this has contributed to the high number of girls getting married at an early age.
She said that the laws of Zambia state that anyone can get married at 21 or below for as long as they get consent from their guardians.
Prof Luo said this came about through findings by the Law Association
of Zambia (LAZ) after the launch of the fight against child marriages in
Luangeni Constituency.
“The breaking of the extended family and poverty are contributing
largely to the scourge,” she said.
Prof Luo however, said that Government has come up with a bill to end
child marriages and that it was being debated by various stakeholders.
The minster said that the bill would be taken to parliament later so that
the customary law could be revised. LT
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