PSAf promoting the media's role in ending child marriages

As the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign roars into life this week, Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf) is calling on the media to lead from the front and raise awareness on early marriages as a form of gender-based violence against girls.

Lilian Kiefer, Executive Director for Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf) said this year the commemorations run from 25th November to 10th December 2015 under the theme: *From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All*.

"PSAf views this theme as responding to the dire situation of many Southern African children, especially girls, whose universal human right to education is trampled upon daily or cut short due to practices such as child marriage," said Kiefer.

 "Different researches conducted by PSAf in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2014 and 2015 as part of a project on Ending Child Marriage showed that early marriage is so rampant in the region, derailing the career paths of many youngsters."

He said this is further corroborated by international bodies such as the United Nations.

"The PSAf research found that early marriage is one of the biggest forms of violence against girls, as it cuts short children's education and exposes them to the threat of different forms of sexual violence and abuse," he said.

"Based on this research, PSAf packaged media briefs for the four countries for use as reference materials for journalists. The media briefs for Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are available as hard copies and soft copies that can be downloaded from the PSAf website www.panos.org.zm."

He said PSAf sees the media as a strategic partner in raising awareness on early marriage, its effects on girls and promoting stakeholder responses to address the issue.

"As a key role player in stimulating public debate and dialogue among communities, the media can mobilise communities and influence them to promote enjoyment of human rights and facilitate the protection of children from harmful practices such as child marriage," said the director.

"Among others, the media can highlight the importance of education as a fundamental human right that is provided for and supported in various international and regional human rights conventions and treaties ratified by most Southern African countries."

He said PSAf therefore calls on the media to influence all stakeholders to see child marriage for what it is: an infringement on the human rights of youngsters, especially the right to education. It is unacceptable that every day, young girls are forced out of school into marriages.

"PSAf has a number of projects where the organisation works with the media to address development challenges such as child marriage. The organisation has also developed a number of media briefs that we believe will be a useful resource for the media during and after the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence," he said.

"During these 16 days of activism, PSAf encourages the media to actively raise awareness, drive debate and enlighten different stakeholders that early marriage violates children and limits their participation in development efforts, especially in political and economic decision making."

He said PSAf believes that one newspaper or online article, one photo or video clip, one radio or television programme on child marriage can make a big difference in addressing this scourge.