A piece by Cde Dumelang Saleshando, Member of Parliament for Botswana during the 58th SADC-PF Plenary Assembly Standing Committee Session.

“Though Botswana laws set the age of marriage at 18, there are exceptions in the laws that allow for children as young as 14 to be married under the dispensation of religious and customary laws. In the year 2016, child marriages prevalence in the SADC region was estimated at 40%. Latest statistics indicate that the prevalence rate has dropped to 35% as countries are taking baby steps to eradicate child marriages. The SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) goal is to eliminate child marriages by the year 2030. It is estimated that at the current rate, it will take us 300 years to eradicate child marriages. Botswana is contributing to the ugly scourge of child marriages.

I have a 14-year-old girl child and cannot imagine her getting married. As a legislator, I am obliged to deliver to those that I represent what I wish for my own children. I therefore plan to start a process of amending our laws to make it illegal for any child to be married. Fortunately, our Right Honourable Speaker Dithapelo Keorapatse prepared the ground for the abolition of child marriages when he represented Botswana in SADC PF.

My appeal is for all Batswana to take note of this outdated practice within our country. We can do better for our young children, particularly the most vulnerable, our innocent daughters!”