Mozambique is among the ten countries with the highest rates of early marriages in the world, particularly in remote areas of the northern region.
This information was released by the Global Program to End Child Marriage (GPECM), of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The program, conducted in two phases, covered six districts in the provinces of Nampula and Zambézia, reaching around 12,000 girls in each phase.
To mitigate the ongoing cases of early marriages, the third phase of the GPECM was launched in Maputo. This new phase will expand to Cabo Delgado, a province plagued by terrorist attacks, resulting in violations against girls.
The funding for this phase will be more than seven million dollars (approximately 445 million meticais), provided by countries such as Sweden, the United States of America, Canada, Italy, and Belgium. With this support, the Government aims to eliminate early marriages by 2030.
According to Angélica Magaia, National Director for Children, achieving positive results is crucial and requires breaking the family practices that perpetuate these unions, ensuring a permanent change in attitude.
She highlighted that in Nampula and Zambézia, the GPECM reinforced the dissemination of information about the harmful effects of early marriages. With the approval of the Law for the Prevention and Combat of Early Marriages, the country has managed to criminalize these unions and better structure services to assist victims.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action, Paulo Beirão, called for greater dissemination of child protection laws and prioritization of free access to basic services.
The program allows girls at risk of early marriages to choose and direct their own futures, promoting their autonomy and well-being.
(By Joana Mawai)
