Limpho Sello

THE Ministry of Social Development will from tomorrow take its campaign to end child marriages to Berea and Mohale’s Hoek.

According to the ministry’s Director: Child Protection Services, Mantsenki Mphalane, they intended to hold community dialogue sessions to raise awareness on the perils of child marriages.

She said the initiative was part of a countrywide campaign to end child marriages running from 2015 until 2017 and held under the theme “Help End Child Marriages: Take a Child to School”.

“The Ministry of Social Development will hold community dialogue sessions in four areas in Berea from 2 to 5 August 2016, and in Mohale’s Hoek on 10 to 11 August. The campaign has already been held in Qacha’s Nek, Thaba-Tseka and Mafeteng districts respectively,” Ms Mphalane said.

“When we decide to launch a campaign, what follows next are public gatherings. During the upcoming public gatherings, we intend to discuss about the causes of child marriage, its negative impact and how it can be ended.”

She said they would engage both the children and parents on the dangers of the practice, which include high maternal and child mortalities.

“We will speak to children and inform them that getting married at a young age would be to their disadvantage since their bodies would be ill-equipped for the task of carrying a baby and giving birth,” said Ms Mphalane.

“To the parents, we would make them aware of the fact that it is illegal for children to get married at a young age. We would also encourage them to make informed decisions about their children’s future.”

She added they would also engage community leaders, such as chiefs and councillors to assist in achieving the goals of the campaign.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Social Development, at least 1 742 girls were married before the age of 18, while at least 1 567 girls dropped out of school due to teenage pregnancy.