DODOMA: Stakeholders working on child protection and legal reform in Tanzania have agreed on a comprehensive roadmap aimed at combating child marriage. This plan focuses on aligning laws and policies, enhancing educational protections for children, and addressing the socio-economic issues that lead families to engage in this practice.
The roadmap emerged from a strategic meeting involving government bodies, ministries, civil society organisations, legal professionals, and other key players. They identified shortcomings in the current framework and outlined priority actions moving forward.
Participants underscored the importance of implementing legal reforms alongside improved community awareness and coordination among child protection agencies. Representatives from government highlighted the need to harmonise legislation to ensure consistent protection for all children, particularly in communities facing economic challenges. They emphasised that efforts to tackle child marriage must consider both boys and girls as part of a broader commitment to child welfare and development.
Ministries involved in the discussions called for enhanced support for children affected by child marriage, including young mothers and survivors, alongside preventative strategies. The stakeholders proposed better utilisation of existing community structures, such as ward and village development committees, to avoid creating additional systems that could strain limited resources.
They stressed that reinforcing current systems could help decrease reliance on external funding, with government agencies encouraged to allocate specific budgets for child protection initiatives at both national and local levels. The roadmap advocates for community-led advocacy, highlighting the need for training influential figures—such as local leaders and traditional authorities—to promote awareness and encourage behaviour change.
Civil society organisations suggested enhancing advocacy through evidence-based legal and policy analysis, which includes reviewing existing laws related to marriage, education, and child protection to identify inconsistencies. They also called for closer collaboration with educational stakeholders to address gaps in protection as children transition from secondary to vocational education.
The media was identified as a crucial ally in combating child marriage, with recommendations for specialised training for journalists on relevant laws and ethical reporting practices. Rogasian Massue, Programme Manager at the Tanzania Child Rights Forum, noted the necessity of reviewing age definitions in policies affecting children and developing recommendations for greater consistency.
Stakeholders also intend to engage educational authorities to strengthen protections throughout the educational journey. Furthermore, the roadmap advocates for increased use of digital platforms for sharing information and facilitating communication between communities and child protection agencies.
The discussions linked efforts against child marriage to broader development goals, including poverty alleviation, education, and empowerment of vulnerable households. Mary Richard, Head of Programs at the Tanzania Women Lawyers Association, highlighted the consensus that combating child marriage requires coordinated, ongoing efforts rather than isolated actions.
The discussions occur amid ongoing national consultations regarding potential reforms to Tanzania’s marriage and child protection laws, particularly concerning the Law of Marriage Act, which has faced criticism for differing age provisions for boys and girls. The need for legal changes to be implemented effectively, supported by education and community involvement, was emphasised as essential for the welfare of children in their communities.
