Child Rights Groups Applaud Mozambique Over ‘Johane Marange’ Ban

Child rights advocacy groups have applauded Mozambique for banning churches that are promoting child marriages and disrespecting health issues.

The Mozambican Ministry of Justice banned a religious sect called “Johane Marange” in the Central Province of Manica for allegedly promoting child marriage and disrespecting health issues. Mozambique also banned some religious institutions with “obscure purposes” in the southern Province of Inhambane.

In an interview with 263Chat, Shamwari Yemwanasikana (SYS) executive director Ekenia Chifamba said the move by the Mozambique government is commendable given the increase in child marriage statistics.

“The recent ban of churches perpetrating child marriages in Mozambique is very commendable given the current shock that Africa has experienced with the child marriage statistics that continue to be on the increase and Zimbabwe has not been spared as well. Child marriages have robbed young girls of their childhood and burdening them with motherhood, issues of neonatal and maternal deaths, and issues of obstetric fistula and where we see these young girls not able to fulfil their dreams by accessing quality education and dropping out of school.

“We are pleading with our Government to say that can we push for such policies to be in existence within Zimbabwe and also to ensure, we have been crying for mandatory sentencing yes it’s a good practice, but we wait to see our girls being taken to the slaughter and raped and cry foul to the laws I think the ban of these church is a good best practice that will not only see Mozambique bringing about change but the rest of Africa,” said Chifamba

Talent Jumo director at Katswe Sistahood said those perpetuating violence should face the same music like the recent move taken by Government to suspend licences for transport operators whose buses were involved in an accident in Murewa.

“It is important to ensure that our women and girls are protected. When religious groups perpetuate child abuse, rape child marriages, sexual abuse, any form of violence there is need for stakeholders to come to a place where they can agree to put some measures to deter perpetrators of violence from doing so and it is unfortunate if it happens in the religious community. In the same way that we had two buses suspended after that accident in Murewa, the same should be expected everywhere else a message to those perpetuating violence,” Jumo said.

The Girls and Women Empowerment Network Trust (GWEN) also commended Mozambique while urging other Southern African countries to take similar steps to end child marriages.