Bishops Dialogue on Child marriage

 

Since the issue of child marriages has become prevalent in the apostolic churches and African initiated churches, it has become a fundamental need that the leaders of these churches are engaged and involved in trying to solve the problem of child marriages in Zimbabwe. It is a necessity that it is made clear that these leaders with whom engagement is to be made take an active role in trying to curtail child marriages since they are the major point of contact to the churches as well as they are the ‘’god-fathers’’ of the religion. It therefore faces minimal resistance from the denominations sympathisers to attain optimal adherence.

It is in that understanding that the denominations sympathisers who are equally  in tandem with their families behave in certain traits, norms and values that are derived from their beliefs and practices prominent in their churches. The church leaders role becomes imminent to the cause since they are at the top of the churches beliefs and they are seen as the icons. What they would say becomes fast assimilated as the leaders are divine in their own right.

 Child sexual and reproductive health issues, which have often been overlooked, have paused a threat to the decent upbringing of the child pending the different beliefs of the involved churches basing on their acceptance of contemporary intervention versus divine administrations offered. The church leaders role thus becomes to promote and enhance the realisation of sexual reproductive health rights and information.

In the church setup, it has often been understood that the man is the head of the house which has been profound biblically and has made prominent the verge of patriarchy as a social system which makes man the decision maker and women the respondent without objection. This however makes gender issues such as domestic violence and inequalities irresolvable though continuous efforts are being made. Church leaders thence need to be in sighted and encouraged to demystify the realm and spread the word that no man is inferior to the other and that we are all equal before God in whose name the churches exist.

In perspective, the church leaders’ role becomes ever redefined in taking the lead in the fight against child marriages. It is them that indoctrinate their followers on the do’s and don’ts of an archetype of society that is expected in order to attain the concerned global standards.