A child protection committee aimed at policing child abuse in rural communities has been established in northwestern Zambia, a traditional leader has said.
In an interview with Xinhua Tuesday, the traditional leader said any headman or headwoman who will condone early child marriages in their village risks being demoted.
Senior Chief Sikufele of the Mbunda and Luvale speaking people of Manyinga and Kabompo districts, respectively, has urged all his advisors across his chiefdom (a notional form of sociopolitical organization in which political and economic power is exercised by a single person or group of persons over many communities) to be on high alert and always report any cases of early marriages.
“We have now put in place a Child Protection Committee that will be going round communities to sensitize the people against the evils of child abuse, because education is key for a girl child,” he said.
The Senior Chief said that he does not want to record any child marriages in any of the villages in his chiefdom, stressing that every girl should be in school.
He pointed out that exploitation and any form of violence against children will not be tolerated, adding that all perpetrators will be brought to book. Enditem
