– Lack of resources and socio-cultural barriers make fighting the problem difficult
By Noémia Mendes
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – Between 2019 and the first half of 2023, Mozambique registered 3,371 cases of child marriage, according to data from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare (MGCAS). Of these, 883 reached the offices attending to Families and Child Victims of Violence.
Furthermore, 1,463 girls were reunited with their families, while 1,025 were placed in the regular or professional education systems.
Despite these efforts, implementation of the Law on Preventing and Fighting Child Marriages is facing significant challenges, particularly in rural areas where socio-cultural barriers, such as taboos and traditional beliefs, continue to perpetuate the problem.
“Child marriage is still seen as an economic benefit”
Urcília Manhiça, manager of the project to prevent child marriages of the organisation N’weti, says that traditional practices and economic interests worsen the situation.
“Even with the investments made by various organisations, families often see early marriage as a way of obtaining financial benefits, which perpetuates the cycle of violence and prevents the progress of public policies”, says Manhiça.
She also stressed that cultural resistance and mistaken interpretations of the legislation make it difficult to eradicate the problem.
Structural challenges: lack of resources and of skilled professionals
In addition to the cultural barriers, the scarcity of resources and the fragility of institutions have compromised the efforts to fight against child marriages.
“The girls who are victims of violence frequently have no access to adequate care or to an efficient justice system. In some cases, there are records of minors registered as if they were 18 years old, in order to facilitate legalisation of these marriages”, explained Manhiça.
She also said that the courts are rarely called upon, and when they are, they face limitations in dealing with the complexity of cases often due to the lack of technical preparation and of resources.
Community networks as an alternative
Despite the challenges, Manhiça recognises the growing role of community strategies in the struggle against child marriages. These initiatives involve community leaders, men, and other social segments to raise awareness about the rights of girls and to combat gender-based violence.
“The struggle against child marriages requires the commitment of all, including the authorities, civil society, and the communities. We need to strengthen support networks to guarantee that girls live free of violence and that their rights are respected”, she concluded.
While the most recent numbers show the efforts to deal with the question, it is clear that the eradication of child marriages in Mozambique will depend on structural, cultural and political changes, in addition to the strengthening of institutions and the commitment of society as a whole.
