(Mozambique
has one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates worldwide (48%), with
nearly 1 in 2 girls in Mozambique getting married before her 18th birthday).
,In
light of this, the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA)
and Plan Mozambique, in cooperation with the Parliament of Mozambique and the
Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) organised
a national workshop on Child Marriage Laws in Mozambique on 8 December 2015,
following a Regional Dialogue held in Johannesburg and a similar national
follow-up workshop in Zambia earlier this year.
light of this, the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA)
and Plan Mozambique, in cooperation with the Parliament of Mozambique and the
Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) organised
a national workshop on Child Marriage Laws in Mozambique on 8 December 2015,
following a Regional Dialogue held in Johannesburg and a similar national
follow-up workshop in Zambia earlier this year.
The workshop aimed at introducing
the outcomes of the Regional Dialogue on child marriage laws and the national
follow-up workshop in Zambia to the participants and discussing how best to
tackle the issue of child marriage in Mozambique and to identify the roles of
the different stakeholders (MPs, government, civil society), while drafting a
parliamentary action plan on child marriage laws.
the outcomes of the Regional Dialogue on child marriage laws and the national
follow-up workshop in Zambia to the participants and discussing how best to
tackle the issue of child marriage in Mozambique and to identify the roles of
the different stakeholders (MPs, government, civil society), while drafting a
parliamentary action plan on child marriage laws.
Attendees included several Members
of the Committee of Social Affairs, Gender and Technology; Committee of
Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality; Members of the Women
Parliamentarian Cabinet; the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Action;
Minister of Health and Minister of Justice; Representatives of NGOs; the Plan
Coordinator 18+ programme, and other representatives of AWEPA and Plan, as well
as other experts.
of the Committee of Social Affairs, Gender and Technology; Committee of
Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality; Members of the Women
Parliamentarian Cabinet; the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Action;
Minister of Health and Minister of Justice; Representatives of NGOs; the Plan
Coordinator 18+ programme, and other representatives of AWEPA and Plan, as well
as other experts.
Background Info
The Government of Mozambique has
taken the issue of child marriage seriously and launched, in partnership with
civil society and UNICEF, a national campaign for Zero Tolerance to Violence
and Child Abuse in 2011 to raise awareness of issues affecting children, such
as child marriage. In July 2014, the Government launched a national campaign to
prevent and combat child marriage at the provincial level.
taken the issue of child marriage seriously and launched, in partnership with
civil society and UNICEF, a national campaign for Zero Tolerance to Violence
and Child Abuse in 2011 to raise awareness of issues affecting children, such
as child marriage. In July 2014, the Government launched a national campaign to
prevent and combat child marriage at the provincial level.