End child marriages in Africa - Mandlate

Dr Aquinaldo Mandlate from the Children’s Rights Project of the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law and Governance (DOI) was last week in Mozambique to share the draft Model Law on Eradication of Child Marriages and Protection of Children in Marriage (draft Model Law). Mandlate shared the content of the draft Model Law in a national follow-up workshop on child marriage laws that was held in the Mozambique capital city of Maputo. The workshop was attended by a fairly large audience including members of Parliament, representatives of the Department of Justice, as well as delegates from the Department of Gender, Children and Social Action.

Representatives of the Department of Health and representatives of Civil Society Organisations working on matters affecting the interest of children were also present in the event.

During the workshop it was explained that the draft Model Law on Eradication of Child Marriages was being prepared under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) with assistance of many stakeholder such as the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA), Plan International and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA).

Among others subjects, participants explored discussions around how best to tackle the issue of child marriage in Mozambique and to identify the roles of the different stakeholders (MPs; government; civil society) and draft a parliamentary action plan on child marriage laws. It was said that when adopted, the Model Law on Eradication of Child Marriages and Protection of Children in Marriage will help Mozambique and countries in the region to find solution to address the problem of child marriages.

We are reminded that Mandlate and also Professor Julia Sloth-Nielsen from the University of the Western Cape, and other children’s rights experts, serve as Members of the Expert Team Supporting the Development of Model Legislation on Child Marriages in Southern Africa.