Marrying off children has become a big business in Zambia

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Religious leaders and girl child rights promoters in Zambia  have condemned the act of parents marrying off their under age daughters so that they are paid cattle and money as dowry.

Over time,marrying off underage girls has become a source of money to some parents especially the poor living in rural areas.Girls as young as 15 yrs old ,or even below are married off by their parents to the disappointment of religious leaders  and human rights activists.

''The act is most common in the eastern province of Zambia.The parents shamelessly sell off their daughters especially to wealthy elderly men.'' said Anne Zhokulu,a girl -child education promoter in Zambia.

She added on that even where the girls are offered free education ,the parents prefer marrying them off so that they get cattle and money which they mostly spend on buying alcohol.

It is for that reason that Chipata Catholic diocese  Auxiliary Bishop Benjamin Phiri condemned the parents who marry off their underage children,saying that unfortunately marrying off young girls has become a lucrative business for some parents.

While leading a Mass that marked the start of the Year of Mercy at Msupadzi Parish y, Bishop Phiri said requested parents to stop the vice and insted always guard against early marriages.

“It is not good to marry of young girls.It is common here in Eastern Province. Marrying off young children has become a big business. but it should stop.''said bishop Phiri.

He said that the parents observe when a child is just growing up but before reaching the right age they find husbands for them and marry them off so that you are given cattle.

''So it has become a business, children that are supposed to be in school are being married off, what’s the future for these children that are being married off at a tender age?” Bishop  Phiri said.

He advised parents to ensure that their children are sent to school before thinking of marriage.

Bishop Phiri has requested priests not preside over weddings of underage children saying that if the couples are less than 18 years, marriages should not be blessed.

He urged Christians to behave well during Christmas.