ECHOES OF EARLY MARRIAGES

Early marriage and early pregnancy remain significant challenges affecting adolescents in Grace Nachande’s community. These practices often disrupt education, limit future opportunities, and place young parents in situations where they are unable to adequately support their children. In many cases, this has contributed to social challenges such as child neglect, increased petty crime, and risky survival behaviours among young people.
 
Grace Nachande was empowered through capacity-strengthening trainings under the Strengthening Civil Society Effectiveness in Promoting Good Governance and Increasing Citizen Awareness and Demand for Human Rights – Phase II project, implemented by ActionAid Zambia, funded by the Swedish Government, and implemented in partnership with Mpulungu Youth Vision Centre (MYVC). The trainings equipped adolescents with knowledge and skills to promote positive behaviour change among their peers, with a strong focus on adolescent rights and the prevention of early marriage and early pregnancy.

Reflecting on the experience, Grace notes:

“One of the key takeaways for me from the trainings was learning about early marriages. I was able to pass on the knowledge I acquired to other young people.”

Following the trainings, Grace took on the role of a peer educator and mentor, actively engaging fellow adolescents in Kwenga Village of Isoka District, through discussions and awareness sessions. Together with other young people, she facilitated open conversations that helped uncover the extent of early marriages and early pregnancies within the community and encouraged adolescents to critically reflect on the consequences of these practices.

As a result of these youth-led engagements, positive behavioural changes have begun to emerge among adolescents in the community. Increased awareness has led to more informed decision-making, while some community members have acknowledged and appreciated the efforts of young people in addressing these challenges.

“Through the engagements we have been having with young people, there has been some behavioural change. Our efforts have also been appreciated by some members of the community,” Grace explains.

Grace’s experience demonstrates that when adolescents are equipped with the right information, skills, and platforms to engage, they can become powerful agents of change. Peer-to-peer education has proven effective in addressing harmful practices, promoting adolescent rights, and fostering safer, more informed communities where young people are empowered to make decisions that protect their futures.

Sustained investment in youth-led initiatives is critical to addressing early marriage and early pregnancy. By continuing to support adolescent capacity-building, community engagement, and rights awareness programmes, stakeholders, including civil society organisations, traditional leaders, and development partners, can help amplify young people’s voices and scale up positive change. Empowering adolescents today is an investment in stronger, more resilient communities tomorrow.