Why do some families engage in child marriage?

Economic hardships drive families to accept dowry payments.

What is the purpose of the chinamwali ritual?

To teach girls wifely duties and sexual pleasing.

Teenage brides face risks of early pregnancy and childbirth complications.

Grassroots initiatives by women's collectives advocate against child marriage.

Ending child marriage is crucial for girls' education, empowerment, and overall development.

Child marriage in Zambia persists due to economic hardships, with families receiving dowry payments, hindering girls' education and leading to domestic servitude.
Teenage brides face risks of early pregnancy and childbirth complications due to lack of education and maturity, highlighting the urgent need to combat child marriage for girls' empowerment and national development.

Why do some families engage in child marriage?
Economic hardships drive families to accept dowry payments.
What is the purpose of the chinamwali ritual?
To teach girls wifely duties and sexual pleasing.
What are the risks faced by teenage brides?
Teenage brides face risks of early pregnancy and childbirth complications.
How do grassroots initiatives combat child marriage?
Grassroots initiatives by women's collectives advocate against child marriage.
Why is ending child marriage crucial for Zambia's development?
Ending child marriage is crucial for girls' education, empowerment, and overall development.

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Over 200 million women worldwide are married before age 15, hindering their education and leading to domestic servitude.
Child marriage in Zambia's Eastern Province is prevalent, with a 14-year-old girl preparing to marry a 48-year-old man.
Child marriage, though illegal, persists due to economic hardships, with families receiving dowry payments.
Before marriage, brides undergo a secretive ritual called chinamwali, where they learn to respect and please their husbands.
The ritual involves a 30-day seclusion period, during which girls are taught wifely duties and sexual pleasing.
Teenage brides like D face risks of early pregnancy and childbirth complications due to lack of education and maturity.
Access to medical facilities is limited, with long distances and poor roads posing threats to pregnant girls like D.
Efforts to combat child marriage include grassroots initiatives by women's collectives and advocacy by government officials like Vice President Inonge Wina.
Despite challenges, ending child marriage in Zambia is crucial for girls' education, empowerment, and the country's overall development.