Parliamentarians in 77 countries call for an end to Child Marriage
Hon. Dr. Pindi Chana, MP & Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children of Tanzania, in her capacity as Chair of the International Council of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), presented PGA’s Global Parliamentary Declaration to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage to Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and a former Parliamentarian and PGA Member, during a ceremony to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child on October 12, 2015.
Ambassador Michael Grant, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, welcomed the adoption of target 5.3 to eliminate all traditional harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage, in the 2030 Development Agenda and commended PGA for its efforts in mobilizing Parliamentarians around the world to effectively implement this target. He was joined by the Ambassadors of Zambia, Ghana and Tanzania with whom Canada has co-sponsored several resolutions on this subject and works intensively to build momentum among UN Member States to end child, early and forced marriage.
Hon. Chana recognized the international community’s debt to girls in every country and highlighted the importance of building partnerships with civil society and other countries working on this issue. She expressed her gratitude to Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) for their important support to PGA’s Campaign to End Child Marriage.
Hon. Dr. Pindi Chana stated:
In my capacity as Chair of PGA’s International Council, it is my pleasure to present to you, Mr. Lykketoft, President of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, PGA’s Global Parliamentary Declaration to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage, which has been signed to date by 729 Members of Parliament from 77 countries around the world committing to ensure girls are not left behind.”
Mr. Lykketoft, President of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly received warmly the Declaration and stated:
Parliamentarians are part of my heart.”
We need Parliamentarians to push for decisions in the government and keep governments accountable for the decisions they take. This Declaration is a way to keep them accountable.”
Mr. Lykketoft also noted that his office has a strong commitment to creating opportunities and promoting girls’ rights as preconditions for development.
Ms. Christine Kalamwina, Deputy Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations, stated that child marriage should stop everywhere and now is the time for Member States to take action:
MPs play a critical role in providing oversight and amending laws. The Parliament of Zambia has enacted an Education Act that sanctions an individual who removes a girl from school, and also amended the Marriage Act. The Zambian Government has enacted a zero tolerance policy in child marriage."
She thanked PGA for joining in this partnership and declared her commitment to ensuring this momentum is not lost.
Ambassador Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations, noted that Parliamentarians represent people in their constituencies and are central to ending child marriage. She shared the worrisome trend that 2 out of 5 girls in West Africa are married before age 18. She further concluded:
We look forward to play a leader role in ending child marriage and collaborating with PGA in this task."
About PGA and its Global Parliamentary Declaration to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage
Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) is an international network of approximately 1,400 legislators in 142 Parliaments around the world advocating for human rights and the rule of law, democracy, human security, non-discrimination and gender equality. As part of its Global Campaign to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage, PGA launched the Declaration to develop a strong global parliamentary constituency for the implementation and monitoring of Target 5.3: To eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilations in the new 2030 Development Agenda.
Parliamentarians who have signed the Declaration have pledged to:
- As leaders, to raise awareness in our constituencies and, with our colleagues in Parliament, of the value of the girl child, the importance of keeping girls in school, including pregnant and young mothers, and alternatives to child, early and forced marriage that benefit the child, the community and the country.
- As lawmakers, to assert the primacy of national law over religious and customary laws, to establish 18 as the minimum and uniform age of marriage for both boys and girls, to strengthen birth registration systems, and protect women and girls’ rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, property rights, and access to justice.
- And to oversee and monitor the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the allocation of resources to new and existing policies and laws that address child, early and forced marriage to ensure their effectiveness.
THE CAMPAIGN TO END CHILD, EARLY AND FORCED MARRIAGE RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM:
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT CANADA
PGA receives core support from Sweden and Denmark
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For more information on the Campaign, please contact:
Ms. Mónica Adame
Senior Program Officer, Gender, Equality and Population Program
E: monica.adame@pgaction.org
T: 1+646-762-7295
