By Memory Mudzani
Despite Zimbabwe setting 18 as the legal age of marriage in 2022, child marriages and sexual abuse continue to affect many girls, particularly in rural communities where poverty, school dropouts and weak law enforcement remain major challenges.
Institute of Young Women Development knowledge management, documentation and advocacy coordinator Kudakwashe Munemo said Zimbabwe had made progress through the law, but enforcement remained uneven between urban and rural areas.
“In my view, Zimbabwe has made important progress by setting 18 years as the legal age of marriage. However, enforcement remains uneven,” said Munemo.
“In urban areas, reporting and follow-up are generally easier because services such as police, courts, health facilities and social welfare offices are closer. In rural areas, enforcement is weaker because cases are often hidden within family, religious or customary settings, and survivors face distance, poverty, stigma and pressure to remain silent.”
Girl Child Empowerment of Zimbabwe executive director Tatenda Maposa said enforcement of the 2022 Marriages Act remained weak in some rural communities where customary and religious practices often take precedence over statutory law.
“While urban areas see stronger compliance and state-led prosecution, rural enforcement remains weak. Customary and religious practices frequently override statutory law,” said Maposa.
He said addressing child marriage requires structural, community and individual interventions targeting poverty, cultural practices and access to education.
Maposa said improving access to education, strengthening enforcement of legal frameworks, increasing awareness through sexual and reproductive health education and providing adolescent-friendly health services could help reduce child marriages.
He also highlighted the importance of investigative journalism, mentorship programmes, safe spaces for girls and effective monitoring and evaluation of community programmes.
A lower sixth student, whose identity has been withheld to protect her privacy, said child marriage and sexual abuse are closely linked and often reinforced by cultural and social pressures.
“Child marriage is classified as a form of gender-based violence that legitimises sexual abuse under the guise of culture and tradition,” she said.
She added that many girls face abuse from people in positions of trust, including relatives, teachers and religious leaders, but are often discouraged from reporting cases to protect family or institutional reputations.
Munemo said survivors and their families frequently face stigma, intimidation and pressure to settle cases privately.
“Some families are discouraged from reporting because the perpetrator may be a relative, religious figure or someone known in the community,” he said.
“Survivors also struggle with transport costs, limited child-friendly services and sometimes poor handling of cases by institutions, which can make them feel blamed or retraumatised.”
He said the major gap between the law and realities on the ground was implementation.
“The law is clear that child marriage is illegal, but in some communities it is still treated as a family, cultural or religious matter,” said Munemo.
“There are also gaps in reporting, prosecution, survivor support, school re-entry, psychosocial support and access to safe spaces.”
Munemo said community awareness campaigns, legal literacy programmes, school-based interventions and strong referral systems had proved effective in addressing child marriage and sexual abuse.
“We also work closely with traditional leaders, faith leaders and schools because they influence community attitudes,” he said.
“Our approach is respectful but firm. We focus on child protection, dignity, family wellbeing and the future of girls, and this helps us shift attitudes without creating unnecessary backlash.”
