LUSAKA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A UN official on Thursday called for renewed commitment by countries to combating child marriage.
Coumba Gadio, UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia, said countries need to ensure that the commitment to combating early marriages is renewed if the vice was to be eliminated.
The UN representative said that child marriages represent multiple violations of child rights as it exposes girls to gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies and risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS.
The official was speaking during a meeting of a multi-country and multi-agency delegation from the steering committee of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Global Program to Accelerate Action towards Ending Child Marriage.
The committee is in Zambia to hold a series of meetings with stakeholders on tackling child marriages.
The UN official commended the Zambian government for providing leadership in seeking ways to end child marriages.
Elizabeth Phiri, Zambia's gender minister, also called for increased efforts in the fight against early marriages not only in Zambia but Africa as a whole.
The Zambian minister said there was need for all stakeholders to prioritize activities related to ending child marriages.
Zambia, she said, has demonstrated its commitment towards the fight to end early marriages as demonstrated by the recognition of President Edgar Lungu as the African Union (AU) Champion on Ending Child Marriages.
She further commended the UN and other cooperating partners for the support rendered to the Zambian government in efforts aimed at combating child marriages.
The Ending Child Marriage Steering Committee is a committee formulated under the Global Program to Accelerate Action towards Ending Child Marriage led by the UNFPA and UNICEF.
The program is being implemented in 12 countries, including Zambia.
