Addressing emerging drivers and strengthening protection for children in marriage in Eastern and Southern Africa

These recommendations are directed towards governments, parliaments, and regional bodies in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its Member Parliaments. They are intended to support the effective domestication and implementation of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage, ensuring that state responses are responsive to both traditional and emerging drivers of child marriage. A few of the key recommendations include:

• Integrating child marriage prevention into climate adaptation, conflict response, migration management, and poverty reduction strategies to address evolving risk factors and strengthen protection systems.
• Ensuring that national laws and policies addressing child marriage are comprehensive and protect the rights of children already in marriage, including legal measures (e.g., the right to leave the marriage, rights to property, inheritance, citizenship, and child custody), as well as health, economic, and social well-being measures.
• Strengthening research and digital literacy initiatives to counter online misinformation that normalises harmful practices and to promote evidence-based advocacy and policy development.