The Zambian government has reaffirmed its commitment to ending all forms of child marriages through effective legal and policy frameworks.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary, Ms Angela Kawandami, has emphasized the need for renewed stakeholder commitment to end child, early and forced marriages by 2030.

Ms Kawandami who is attending the on-going 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, in New York USA, was speaking at a Side Event co- hosted with Canada and the United Kingdom, dubbed ‘Bridging the Gap from Beijing to 2030 – Ending all forms of Child Marriage.

While acknowledging Zambia’s progress in effective community-based initiatives and awareness raising, legal reforms, public policies and educational campaigns on ending early marriages, Ms Kawandami regrettably said millions of girls were still married before the age of 18.

She therefore emphasized the importance of evidence-based community interventions and collaboration at international, regional, national, and local levels to accelerate efforts to end child marriage, while prioritizing and amplifying the voices of adolescent girls.

Ms Kawandami assured that Zambia stands ready to collaborate with global partners to mobilize the political will, financial resources, and community engagement needed to secure every girl’s right to a safe, healthy, and empowered life.

And Canada has embraced the role to championing the end of child, early and forced marriages with a call for all nations to carry the message that no government, community and family has a right to steal a child’s future by destroying their childhood.

Meanwhile the United Kingdom has implored member states to formulate policies that ensure education, health and the future of the girl is secured by drawing from experiences of survivors to help others.