ZACO rolls out sermon to end child marriage
The announcement comes as Zambia joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child, which falls this Saturday.
ZACOP Country Director Ellen Mubanga said the sermon, to be preached on the Sunday following the commemoration, is designed to address child marriage and promote education for both the girl and boy child.
“We want to ensure that this model sermon becomes part of our lectionaries and that other churches also pick a day to intentionally speak against child marriage and promote empowerment,” Ms. Mubanga said.
She said the church’s focus on ending child marriage through an ecumenical approach is centred on education, awareness, and empowerment.
“We must raise awareness and unlock the God-given potential that children have, especially the girl child. The Bible calls us to defend the rights of the poor and needy, so it is the role of the faith community to protect, prevent, and empower,” she added.
Ms. Mubanga explained that the campaign will also promote children’s participation in decision-making within church structures, ensuring that young people are not left out of leadership and community engagement.
“We want to give children, especially girls, a seat at the table. The church must make space for their voices to be heard,” she said.
She emphasized that the campaign also promotes economic empowerment for girls and their families as a way of addressing poverty, one of the root causes of child marriage.
“As people of faith, we believe in strengthening economic empowerment through mentorship and support so that our children can thrive and live out their purpose. The girl child is not a problem to be solved — she is a promise to be fulfilled,” Ms. Mubanga said.
She said ZACOP, which operates across all five dioceses of the Anglican Church in Zambia, implements programmes focused on ending child marriage, gender-based violence (GBV), gender justice, early childhood development, and climate change.
Ms. Mubanga noted that with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the church has been able to train clergy to address child marriage through capacity-building and community awareness.
“The church acknowledges that capacity building for clergy is critical. With support from UNFPA, we have trained church leaders to carry out this work using an ecumenical approach that unites churches across denominations,” she explained.
She said child marriage remains a real and present challenge within communities, including church congregations, and called for a united response that goes beyond denominations.
“Child marriage is not a distant issue — it affects all of us. It is driven by cultural norms, poverty, and weak enforcement of laws. The church must therefore be an active part of the solution,” she said.
Ms. Mubanga added that the clergy trained under the programme have committed to teach, proclaim, mobilize, and empower congregations to end child marriage.
ZACOP was established in 2004 as the development and social outreach arm of the Anglican Church in Zambia, and continues to play a central role in promoting faith-based action for social justice and child protection.
Ends………………………..
Comments