PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 14, 2026
Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) Zimbabwe welcomes the United Nations General Assembly's historic resolution officially designating November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.
Adopted on 4 September 2026 and led by Sierra Leone, this landmark resolution marks a decisive step forward globally. It creates an annual platform to build political will, strengthen legal accountability, and accelerate coordinated action to end child marriage worldwide.
In Zimbabwe, where Section 3 of the Marriages Act
expressly criminalises child marriage, this global declaration strengthens the national call to action. Legal prohibition must be matched with practical, survivor-centred enforcement and effective coordination among institutions to close the gap between law and justice.
The resolution sends a clear message: child, early, and forced marriage is a serious human rights violation that the international community will not tolerate.
WLSA Zimbabwe urges the Government of Zimbabwe, law enforcement, traditional and religious leaders, civil society, and local communities to unite behind this global mandate, uphold constitutional protections, and maintain zero tolerance for child marriage.
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