Marriage System in Zimbabwe and Its Implication on Child Marriage
Author : Tafadzwa Mabemba and Ngenisiwe Henrietta Ntombela
Abstract :
Countries across the globe have different marriage systems which are determined by cultural and social norms of the area. Even within the same State, each tribe follow or may have its unique marriage system. This paper is an analysis of the marriage systems which are practiced by the MaShona people in Zimbabwe. Despite the fact that there are several marriage systems in Zimbabwe, the marriage system within Shona culture is linked to the high cases of child marriage in Zimbabwe. The system is considered to undermine the rights of girls and violates their rights as marriage is concerned. Human rights activists including feminists have advocated for the ban of these systems which they considered to be outdated and barbaric. Researches have revealed that child marriages are high in the Shona people as compared to other tribes in the country. This is believed to be an attributed by their marriage systems which seem to promote child marriage, especially among the girl child. Despite the presence of some legal frameworks which try to regulate the increase of child marriages, the strong traditional and cultural norms are antagonising the legal system. It is encouraged that forces including political sphere join hand in uprooting the marriage system which puts girls and women at disadvantage. One was of dealing with such systems is to have a strong legal system supported with a political will.
Keywords :
Child, marriage, girl-child, marriage system
