By Moses Magadza

The Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Ms Boemo Sekgoma, has stressed the need for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral response to child marriage.

She has argued that the practice is deeply intertwined with sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), education, economic inclusion, and climate justice.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Women Deliver 2026 Conference in Melbourne, Australia, last week, Ms Sekgoma highlighted the continued regional impact of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage, describing it as a powerful legislative and advocacy instrument shaping reforms across Southern Africa.

She noted that the Model Law has become “an effective tool for domestication of legal and administrative norms to eradicate child marriage,” adding that it has also “proved its influence to accelerate domestication endeavours on several human rights themes and parliamentary mandates.”

Ms Sekgoma stated that child marriage is not a standalone social issue but one that triggers a cascade of harmful consequences affecting young girls’ health, education, and prospects.

Child marriage is a definite contributor to early and unintended pregnancies, which is one of the major causes of school dropouts. No child should be compelled to become a mother,” she stated.

The Secretary General further warned that the repercussions extend far beyond the marital relationship itself.

“Child marriage is an issue which cannot be looked at in isolation, but must be considered comprehensively, with the dire consequences of child marriage always going beyond the scope of mere matrimonial links,” she said.

She said these consequences include unintended or forced pregnancies, unsafe abortions, early motherhood, and interrupted education – outcomes that undermine long-term development and gender equality across the region.

Central to the SADC PF strategy, Ms Sekgoma explained, is the harmonisation of legal standards across Member States.

Under the Model Law, she noted, countries are encouraged to fix the legal age of marriage at 18 years, regardless of whether the marriage is civil or religious, and to ensure that consent is free and informed.

She added that the legislation also addresses structural vulnerabilities affecting children, including access to education and legal protection, while drawing on established regional instruments such as the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

The Model Law introduces financing mechanisms to sustain prevention efforts.

Ms Sekgoma explained that it provides for “special budgetary provisions to combat child marriage, including an anti-child marriage fund which authorities can tap into to sponsor regular sensitisation campaigns.”

Responding directly to the panel question on intersections with teenage SRHR and age-of-consent debates, Ms Sekgoma highlighted the Forum’s focus on practical interventions that keep girls in school and expand their economic opportunities.

She cited initiatives to eliminate the so-called “pink tax” and ensure access to menstrual hygiene products, noting that such measures help prevent school absenteeism and dropout.

The Secretary General also pointed to strengthened parliamentary oversight on gender-responsive labour policies.

These include scrutiny of maternity protections and workplace support for women, which she said contribute to financial stability and reduce vulnerability to early marriage.

“Catalysed oversight interventions in Parliaments and change of mindset to issues of financial and economic inclusion,” she explained and noted that empowering girls economically is essential to breaking the cycle of child marriage.

Ms Sekgoma highlighted another innovation pioneered by the SADC PF –  integrating gender and development commitments into national budgeting frameworks.

She explained that the SADC Model Law on Public Financial Management requires governments to align annual budgets with Sustainable Development Goals and international obligations.

“Legal provisions also enunciate that the budget must be accompanied by an explanatory statement which explains how the budget is responding to other main international commitments taken by the State,” she said and cited instruments such as CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol and the African Youth Charter.

This approach, she noted, ensures that financial inclusion and gender equality are systematically addressed through national planning processes.

Ms Sekgoma also acknowledged the challenges posed by misinformation and cultural resistance to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and safe reproductive health services.

She warned that opposition framed around anti-gender narratives can reinforce harmful social norms.

“The anti-gender movement encourages the status quo, which promotes patriarchy and deepens the gender divide,” she said.

The SG said that limited access to information, low literacy levels and school dropout rates are key drivers of such resistance; factors that must be addressed through sustained community engagement and parliamentary leadership.

Ms Sekgoma drew attention to the emerging connection between climate change and child marriage risks and noted that environmental shocks often intensify economic hardship and gender-based violence.

She explained that the SADC PF has deliberately incorporated a gender and justice lens into climate action discussions to ensure that women and girls have a voice in shaping environmental responses.

“There was a deliberate effort to give an equal voice to women and young girls to deliberate on green initiatives as part of climate action,” she said.

Ms Sekgoma reiterated that the success of the SADC Model Law lies in its integrated design that links legal reform, education, health services, economic empowerment and budget accountability into a unified strategy to end child marriage.

-Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.