In a powerful address at the 58th Standing Committee Sessions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum, Ms. Noleen Sang-Opondo, representing Girls Not Brides (@GirlsNotBrides), issued a resounding call to action against the pervasive practice of child marriage in Southern Africa. Speaking before parliamentarians and stakeholders, Sang-Opondo highlighted the dire statistics underscoring the crisis: 32% of young women in the region are married before the age of 18, stripping them of essential opportunities for education, personal growth, and a brighter future.

Sang-Opondo emphasized the need for bold, immediate measures to combat this violation of human rights. She underscored the importance of sustained funding, robust implementation, and stringent monitoring to transform the lives of vulnerable girls. Citing regional success stories, she praised Malawi’s comprehensive National Strategy to End Child Marriage and Zambia’s establishment of a dedicated Parliamentary Caucus on the issue. These examples, she argued, serve as blueprints for progress, urging the full adoption and enforcement of the SADC Model Law on the Eradication of Child Marriage across member states.

To enhance accountability and drive measurable change, Sang-Opondo advocated for the use of innovative tools like the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) digital dashboard. This platform enables real-time tracking of initiatives, ensuring transparency and fostering collaborative efforts among policymakers. She encouraged parliamentarians to leverage the innovative Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) digital dashboard for real-time tracking of advancements and fostering accountability. In her remarks, Sang-Opondo implored lawmakers to champion girls’ rights, amplify their perspectives in policy decisions, and commit to a shared effort. She painted an inspiring picture of a region where every girl thrives through education and aspiration, calling on all stakeholders to turn this ideal into tangible progress.

Her message was a clarion call to parliamentarians: prioritize girls’ rights, integrate their voices into legislative processes, and unite in a collective push for equity. “We must champion the aspirations of every girl,” she implored, envisioning a Southern Africa where education empowers young women to pursue their dreams without the shadow of early marriage.

Sang-Opondo’s address aligns with broader regional commitments, including the SADC Parliamentary Forum’s focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). As , her words serve as a catalyst for turning protocols into actionable reforms, paving the way for a more just and prosperous future for girls across the region.

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