When others her age are playing house, with no care in the world except who built the perfect mud house or whose turn it is to be the Mom or Dad; she is trapped. Trapped in what society chooses to call “marriage” yet it is just blatant sexual abuse and exploitation of a child. Trapped in a young body which has been forced to experience sex when it is not yet ready; physically, mentally and emotionally for the intrusion. Trapped by expectations from her family who has sold her off to ease the poverty which has been amplified by the COVID 19 induced lockdowns. Jobs have been lost and sources of livelihoods destroyed and because she is “just” a girl, the burden of saviour for her family was thrust on her.
Tafadzwa (15), is one of the 31% of girls in Zimbabwe who get married before they turn 18, this even though there is legislation prohibiting marriage of minors. Raised by a single Mom, life has been nothing but difficult for her and her siblings. Tafadzwa and her three younger siblings had to take turns to help their mother at her vegetable stall and this is how they survived, barely. At the age of 14, Tafadzwa was enticed by one of the informal miners, makorokoza who promised her a more glorious life. In Mbizo, Kwekwe as with most mining towns, most gold panners are revered and feared as seem to have money to burn and are known for their violent behaviour. For Tafadzwa, life has gotten more complicated as she is now a mother living with a man who abuses her and no longer provides for her.
According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (2015), 1 in 3 women would have experienced physical violence by the age of 15. Not only this but about 29% of women are married by age 18 and 5% are married by age 15. Around 30% of girls between the ages of 13-24 years experienced some form of sexual violence. According to the World Health Organisation, over 60 million marriages worldwide include girls under the age of 18 years Studies have shown that the girl child is more prone to be married off earlier than the male child and the repercussions are multifaceted. The girls are inclined to suffer from a number of diseases because of early sexual activity and child birth and this includes cervical cancer. More often than not they are likely be unable to continue with their education and as a result opportunities that could have been opened through having a basic education are snatched from them. They become totally depended on the man making them more susceptible to abuse on every level as most would have nowhere else to go. Their children’s future is greatly impacted as these girls are not in apposition to negotiate even for the children they bear to get a birth certificate. Their young bodies also suffer from a number The COVID 19 pandemic has increased the vulnerability of girls and there are additional likelihood of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The Gender Lens, a publication made possible through the collaboration between Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Genders and Media Connect, the Research and Advocacy Unit and the Swedish Embassy, draws attention to some of the trials that women and girls go through. It is an in-depth publication which looks at issues like political violence against women, child marriage and COVID-19 and political violence against women. In most African societies and Zimbabwe included the patriarchal nature embedded in these societies classifies women and girls as second class citizens. Opportunities are more in favour of the males than females. As a result, the abuse of women and girls is higher with society condoning it. Although certain legislature has been crafted over the years to make the environment more inclusive for women and girls, cultural systems perpetuate the practice.
“Culturally, child marriage is packaged as a social necessity, in many cases, this amounts to socially licensing sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Young girls cannot demand safe sex or take part in decision making because of age or fear of violence from their spouses,” reads part of the report. Zimbabwe Gender Commission Chairperson Virginia Muwanigwa said that there should not be any ambiguity on issues surrounding the abuse of children. Child sexual abuse and exploitation should not be sanitised as marriage and more advocacy needs to be carried out.
“More awareness raising on the laws needs to be carried out. Not only this but legal action should be taken against those facilitating early child marriages and the young people should be educated more regarding their rights,” she said.
The Zimbabwean constitution outlaws child marriage, particularly Section 78 where the minimum age for marriage is 18 years and it prohibits forced marriage. Even though the Marriage Bill enforces criminal liability on a person who marries an underage child, these cases go unreported. In most instances, because of poverty families come to an agreement where the girl child is traded for economic favours. The traditional habit of using girls to appease avenging spirits is also still being observed. This just goes to show that legislature alone cannot change the attitudes and practices that have been indoctrinated into certain cultures for centuries.