Story by Grace Sibanda
Through collaborative efforts with its developmental partners, including the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), the government has made significant strides in empowering the girl child and promoting equal opportunities for all.
As the year comes to an end, government and CAMFED came together at the national AGM this Friday to take stock of the activities of the year, where it emerged that 18 thousand girls and 92 boys have benefitted from various initiatives meant to provide educational opportunities for children in marginalised communities.
CAMFED board chairerson, Professor Tsitsi Chataika told the ZBC News, “This year alone we have managed to empower 18 thousand girls and 92 boys in a bid to match government efforts of empowering the girl child and ensuring improved access to education.”
The government has expressed gratitude to its partners for their support, while also voicing concern over the prevalence of child marriages, particularly in mining towns, which is an obstacle to achieving universal education coverage – a goal the government aims to realise by 2030.
“We are proud of efforts by our partners because working as a collective will help us achieve our goals even faster. Early child marriages are a hindrance to this achievement, however, we continue with efforts to eradicate this phenomena which is fuelled by poverty by empowering the girl child and giving equal opportunities,” noted Mr Moses Mhike, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
By promoting education, economic opportunities, and social protection, government and its partners aim to transform the lives of young girls and women, ultimately contributing to the country’s socio-economic development
