An assement of the implementation of the end child marriage campaign by the young women's christian association of Zambia in Chipata District, Zambia

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Date
2017
Authors
Mwanza, Akambiya
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Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
This study was an assessment of the implementation of the End Child marriage Campaign by the Young Women‟s Christian Association of Zambia in Chipata district, Zambia. This study was guided by the following objectives: to establish what policies the Young Women‟s Christian Association of Zambia in Chipata District was using to guide its efforts to end child marriage; to ascertain what strategies the Young Women‟s Christian Association of Zambia in Chipata District was using in its child marriage prevention efforts; to identify factors hindering the Young Women‟s Christian Association of Zambia in Chipata District‟s implementation of child marriage prevention initiatives; and to investigate possible solutions to overcoming challenges to the implementation of the end child marriage campaign. The study utilized a descriptive research design, using the YWCA Chipata branch as a case study. The population for the study comprised all civil society organisations involved in child marriage prevention activities in Zambia. A sample of 40 was taken from the YWCA Chipata branch. This consisted of five key facilitators from the YWCA Chipata branch and 35 YWCA Chipata group members who were both selected purposively sampled and. An interview was used to collect data from the YWCA officers while Focus Group Discussions were used to collect data from the YWCA Chipata group members. The findings of the study revealed that the Anti Gender Based Violence Act of 2010 was the only guiding document that the YWCA was using in its child marriage prevention efforts. It was also revealed that Entertainment Education (EE) was the YWCA‟s main strategy in its child marriage prevention initiatives. Further, the study revealed that although the YWCA was making efforts to implement the End Child Marriage campaign in its programmes. The most significant challenge was deeply entrenched traditional and cultural beliefs which were further fuelled by high levels of poverty. The study also revealed that there was a lag in communication among stakeholder resulting in YWCA officers in Chipata District not being acquainted with the latest government pronouncements in the fight against child marriage. The study recommended that the Government of Zambia through the Ministry of Gender should provide appropriate orientation to stakeholders (such as the YWCA) on the End Child Marriage campaign and the role that they play in this campaign. It is further recommended that the same Ministry make available all materials (print, broadcast and web) pertaining to the End Child Marriage Campaign so as to ensure that a unified message is being transmitted. The study similarly recommended that the Government of Zambia through the Ministries of Community Development and Chiefs and Traditional Affairs engage in vigorous community outreach activities that will reinforce the behavioural and mind-set change efforts being made by Civil Society organisations.
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Child marriage--Zambia
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