South Africa and the African Union Take Steps to End Child Marriage

South Africa’s Department of Social Development has partnered with the African Union (AU) to address the issue of child marriage in the country. The Office on the Rights of the Child will host an AU stakeholder engagement event in Pretoria and Johannesburg, inviting various organizations to evaluate South Africa’s progress in eradicating child marriage and harmful cultural practices against children.

Evaluating Progress and Identifying Challenges

The event aims to gain insights into the current state of child rights, identify challenges, recognize best practices, and learn from past experiences to make concrete recommendations for future action. The event will include a series of high-level meetings with government ministries, human rights institutions, Civil Society Organizations, and children themselves.

The Special Rapporteur, Honourable Takam Kembo from Cameroon, will be in attendance, and within six months, will produce a comprehensive progress report, including observations and recommendations specific to South Africa’s situation. This report is expected to guide the country in refining its approach and accelerating its efforts to eliminate child marriage and protect the rights of women and children.

A Broader Effort to End Child Marriage

The AU Commission launched a campaign to end child marriages across Africa in 2014, estimating that approximately 14 million adolescent and teen girls were married on the continent. Since then, over thirty Member States have accelerated their efforts to implement programs and interventions aimed at ending child marriage.

Timely Visit Ahead of Women’s Month Program

The monitoring visit is well-timed as South Africa prepares to launch its Women’s Month program in Khayelitsha on August 9, themed “Accelerating socio-economic opportunities for women’s empowerment.” Moreover, this visit is part of a broader series of visits the AU Commission plans to complete ahead of the upcoming 4th African Girls Summit in November.

Media Coverage and Event Details

The AU stakeholder engagement event will take place over two days, with the first day at the Corner Steve Biko and Stanza Bopape Streets in Pretoria, and the second day split between two venues: the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund in Johannesburg and the Commission for Gender Equality in Braamfontein. The event is open for media coverage, providing an opportunity for the public to gain insights into the discussions and outcomes.

Collaboration for the Protection of Women and Children

The collaborative effort between South Africa and the AU demonstrates a commitment to addressing child marriage, a pressing issue that affects individual lives and hinders the progress of society as a whole. By evaluating South Africa’s current approach and learning from other Member States’ experiences, there is hope for a future where child marriage becomes a thing of the past, and the rights of women and children are protected and celebrated.