By Tonderai Kundidzora and Takudzwa Mashumba
A human rights lobby group has declared war on everyone who contributes in forced marriages which is destroying lives of brilliant young girls.
Tarisai/Khangela iZimbabwe Trust Foundation director and founder Gabriela Nyaruvende said that those involved in the devilish deals of forcing a girl-child into a marriage should brought to book and be locked up in prisons.
“We are aware of those marriages in our society but now what I can say is those involved should be locked up for a long time so that they learn to respect the rights of a girl-child.
Young girls are being traded into marriages cause of greedy of parents, warped beliefs ,and religion doctrines that do not respect young girls as people who have a right to chose when, where to be married and with whom to marry for themselves’ said Nyaruvende.
Tarisai/Khangela iZimbabwe Trust Foundation is an organisation that works to empower women and girls on their rights and also helps disadvantaged children, rape victims and orphans in a bid to make their lives better.
‘We have some churches which promote forced marriages and what we can say is as an organisation we will work closely with girls from those sects and once they report to us we will notify the police at once so that the culprits are brought to book and make them answerable.
“It`s a pity that young girls as young as 14 are sent into marriages and exposed to diseases such as HIV and early pregnancies which bring many complications at delivering due to their young age.
“It`s very bad, at this age to hear these stories and cases, the girl-child has to be protected and must be supported to achieve her goals just the same as the boy child.
“Where are we going to get the next Joice Mujuru, Barbara Nyagomo, Hope Sadza, Primrose Kurasha, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Petinah Gappah for the generations to come if they are sent into forced marriages before even realising their full potential,” said Nyaruvende.
This comes days after another girl-child advocate Nyaradzo Mashayamombe director of the Tag a Life International Trust said No to Forced Marriages.
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