Lusaka | September 23, 2026 – Zambia’s historic reform of its marriage law marked a decisive step towards ending child marriage. But changing the law is only the beginning. For that reform to translate into meaningful protection for children, those responsible for enforcing and applying the law must understand it, apply it consistently and have the capacity to respond effectively when children are at risk.
This is where the partnership between the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zambia has made an important contribution.
Over the past two years, UNFPA has supported the NPA to integrate child marriage into national consultations and capacity-building initiatives for its prosecutors, helping strengthen understanding of the legal and prosecutorial implications of Zambia’s evolving child-marriage framework.
Following the enactment of the Marriage (Amendment) Act No. 13 of 2023, Zambia’s legal framework was strengthened to establish 18 as the minimum age of marriage and to render a marriage involving a child void. The reform also addressed the longstanding gap between statutory and customary marriage by extending the protection to marriages contracted under customary law.
For prosecutors, this reform represents more than a change in legislation. It requires a clear understanding of how the law operates in practice, how cases involving children should be approached, and how the criminal justice system can respond while protecting the rights and dignity of children.
With UNFPA support, this capacity-building work was taken beyond national-level consultations to 10 districts, bringing information on the legal reforms and their implications closer to prosecutors working within communities where child marriage remains a significant protection concern.
The need for this work remains considerable. Available national data indicate that 29 per cent of young women aged 20 – 24 in Zambia were married before the age of 18, while an estimated 2.1 million girls and women living in Zambia today were married before age 18. Almost 479,000 were married before age 15. The 2024 Demographic and Health Survey indicates that child marriage prevalence may have declined since 2018, signalling progress while accentuating the need to sustain momentum. (See the Global Programme on Ending Child Marriage in Zambia 2024 Report).
The partnership has also sought to ensure that capacity is not limited to those reached through specific training initiatives. Relevant information on child marriage has been incorporated into the orientation of newly appointed prosecutors, helping to embed knowledge of the legal framework within the broader prosecution service and sustain institutional capacity over time.
This is particularly important because ending child marriage requires more than prosecution alone. It requires coordinated action across the justice, child protection, traditional leadership, education, health and community sectors. The NPA’s experience has reinforced the importance of prosecutors understanding the realities surrounding children at risk and working with partners to ensure that legal protection translates into meaningful access to justice.
The Authority’s commitment is grounded in the principle that every child is entitled to the full protection of the law. Where evidence establishes criminal wrongdoing, the NPA will pursue appropriate legal action in accordance with its constitutional and statutory mandate, while ensuring that children who come into contact with the justice system are treated with dignity and their rights protected.
The work is now being taken further through NGO partners, expanding the reach of awareness and capacity-building efforts and contributing to stronger implementation of the law and improved access to justice for girls at risk of, or affected by, child marriage.
For the NPA, the partnership represents an important bridge between legal reform and implementation, ensuring that the promise contained in Zambia’s laws is understood by those entrusted with enforcing them and, ultimately, reaches the children those laws are intended to protect.
As Zambia joins the global conversation ahead of the UNGA81 High-Level Side Event on “Protecting Progress and Sustaining Global Resolve to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage,” the NPA reiterates its commitment to strengthening prosecutorial capacity, protecting children and working with partners to advance access to justice.
The NPA appreciates UNFPA Zambia for its sustained partnership and support and looks forward to deepening this collaboration as Zambia moves from legal reform to full and effective implementation.
