THE Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) staff has embarked on a
province- wide tour of communities, conversing with community leaders, religious
and traditional leaders as well as parents and young children about the dangers of
child marriages and teen pregnancies.
The exercise is also targeting students at tertiary institution, colleges and universities
across the province focusing on sexual reproductive health issues and rights.
Percival Kushure, the council’s provincial spokesperson, said the exercise is a
reinforcement of other dialogues they conducted before, with the same communities.
In areas such as Muzarabani and Mbire, teen pregnancy issues were real and there
were very high records of cases of child marriages and teen pregnancies.
Child marriages were high in Mashonaland Central and according to statistics, the
province has the highest prevalence rate, commanding 31 percent.
“We are mainly focusing on rural girls, they are most of the teen pregnancy and child
marriages victims. This, we have noted, could be due to information gaps.
Information appears to be scarce in these communities and other hard-to-reach
areas,” he said.
He said he was happy traditional leaders in the province were all against child
marriages saying as the Zimbabwe National Family Council they will continue to
cherish their support.
Kushure urged parents to spend time with their teenage children, talking about
sexual reproductive health issues and rights in order to keep them enlightened and
prepared in times of temptations.
That role used to be played by uncles and aunties back then but in the world of
today, you are your own child’s counsellor.