The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoH&SW) in collaboration with the Operation Save the Children Foundation and Child Protection Partners will officially launch the African Union (AU) “End Child Marriage Campaign” by Madam Zainab Yahya Jammeh.
Spearheaded by the AU to accelerate and champion the movement to end child marriage, this historic campaign according to a release from the health ministry is meant to end child marriage in Africa.
The release noted that they intend to support national policy action on the protection of human rights especially with a view to addressing violence against girls and women and promoting gender equitable social norms. It will also mobilise continental awareness of and engagement to end child marriage. The campaign also seeks to support the removable barriers and bottle-necks for law enforcement to prosecute perpetrators of child marriage.
It will also Increase the capacity of non state actors to undertake evidence base policy advocacy and enhance the participation of young people through new media technologies, monitoring and evaluation amongst others, the release said.
As part of the commemoration activities, there will be a nationwide caravan which will start on Tuesday, 7 June, 2016 prior to the official launching ceremony to create awareness and advocacy, the release states.
The general public is hereby informed that the official launching ceremony will be characterised by series of events and program activities throughout the month of June 2016 which is dedicated for the campaign to end child marriage in the country.
The release calls for the active participation and support of the general public in the crusade to end child marriage due to its harmful health effects on the overall wellbeing of young children particularly girls.
The launching which will start at 09:00 a.m. on Thursday, 16 June, 2016, will be held at Kairaba Beach Hotel.
