UNFPA is delighted to launch this inaugural newsletter which bring together voices of various actors working to end child marriage in Zambia. 2024 is the first year when those officiating both customary and statutory marriages are supposed to ensure a minimum age of marriage of 18.

However,  the officiators are just one group of people who are well placed to   prevent child marriages. It all starts with awareness of the law change and its implications. Thus, 2024 has been dedicated towards awareness and ensuring various stakeholders understanding what the change in the law entail. 

Prevention is only one piece, the other piece is ensuring we leave no one behind, including those already in child marriages. With a child marriage prevalence rate of 29%, in a country of over 19 million people, the extent of the issue is significant, as such, the number of girls and young women impacted is high.

Most of all, UNFPA thanks all the stakeholders that have played a role towards the enactment of the law to end child marriage.   We believe that ending child marriage is possible.