Africa-Press – Angola. The Minister of State for Social Affairs, Carolina Cerqueira, said this Tuesday, in Luanda, that traditional marriage between minors is a crime, and those responsible can be punished with prison sentences of up to two years.
Speaking at the opening of the main event of the International Women’s Day, which took place in the municipality of Cazenga, Carolina Cerqueira
said that early marriage and pregnancy force girls to assume responsibilities for which they are not physically and psychologically prepared, interrupting the educational process, decreasing the likelihood of them integrating and progressing in the labor market and in society in general”
Carolina Cerqueira reaffirmed the Executive’s commitment to defending women’s rights and transmitting a legacy of good examples and positive references to new generations.
The Minister of State said that the sustainable development of countries necessarily involves the massive and qualitative training of young people, with the percentage of women in the demographic structure being higher than that of men.
To face the challenges of sustainable development, he underlined, efforts must be focused on strengthening women’s capacities and recognizing their competences in the political, economic, social, professional and cultural areas.
These aspects, he added, elevate their status, with the aim of reaffirming the dignity of women and promoting empowerment to strengthen the fight against poverty, illiteracy, violence, HIV, early marriage and pregnancy, among other social dramas, which essentially have , the face of vulnerable women and girls.
He appealed to families to contribute to the creation of a new morality in society, based on equality of rights and duties, respect for each person’s personality, child protection and promotion of the spirit of mutual help.
“Early, forced or arranged marriages in girls under 18 years of age” was the reflection of the central act of the International Women’s Day, also marked by the relaunch of the campaign against early pregnancy and marriage.
. The data presented indicate that one in four girls aged 15 to 18 has experienced physical or sexual violence and one in three is married or in a common-law relationship before the age of 18 and one in ten before the age of 15.
“To prevent the progress of this worrying situation, the Executive has developed several actions, within the scope of the Program to Combat Poverty, among which we highlight the actions resulting from the School Lunch Program, whose objective is to attract the most vulnerable children to school. .
Financial autonomy defended
The Minister of State for the Social Area stated that the economic empowerment and financial autonomy of women constitute a priority at the political level and represent one of the premises for achieving the objectives of reducing poverty rates in the country.
According to Carolina Cerqueira, the most recent data from the Kwenda Social Protection Reinforcement Program indicate that women have been more efficient in expanding opportunities for productive inclusion. She added that 59 percent of the heads of households benefiting from Kwenda are women.
“The Executive remains engaged in the creation of policies and the definition of indicators that promote the sustainable development of women, in articulation with the main regional and international instruments of cooperation, among others, the 2030 Agenda on the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2063 Agenda of the African Union”, he underlined.
Carolina Cerqueira informed that the year 2022 will be marked by the fight against all forms of discrimination against women and girls, with special emphasis on the Campaign Against Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, whose relaunch marked the opening act of the March Women’s Day.
The minister of Social Action, Family and Promotion of Women, Faustina Alves, informed that the ministerial department she directs has implemented programs and projects that impact the lives of citizens, with emphasis on women and girls who still suffer abuse and other acts of violence. .
These projects, he explained, aim to establish guidelines aimed at preventing, assisting and guaranteeing the rights of people in situations of violence and vulnerability.
He underlined that the day opened yesterday, under the motto “Challenges for the economic empowerment of women in a changing world of work and in the preservation of the environment”, marks the beginning of a second moment in which the country emphasizes the fight for the elimination of early marriage and pregnancy, through actions aimed at changing behavior in families, communities and the girls themselves.
UNICEF representative in Angola, Ivan Yerovi, noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the vulnerability of women and girls to violence, particularly among the poorest and most socially marginalized groups. Thus, he added, both marriage and pregnancy force girls to take on responsibilities for which they are not physically and psychologically prepared.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
