Mungule Girls Rescued from Forced Marriages in Coordinated Operation
MUNGULE, CHIBOMBO — In a dramatic and coordinated rescue operation, three teenage girls were saved from forced marriages in Mungule area, Central Province. The rescue was led by a joint task force comprising the Ministry of Community Development, the Zambia Police Service, and the Department of Child Protection Services.
The girls, aged between 14 and 17, were intercepted before being handed over to prospective husbands in exchange for dowry payments. According to local sources, the marriages had been arranged by family members without the girls’ consent.
Community Development Minister Doreen Mwamba confirmed the operation and vowed to intensify nationwide campaigns against child marriage. “We must protect the rights of our children. These practices are illegal and rob young girls of their future,” she said.
The rescued girls have since been taken to a safe house in Lusaka, where they are receiving counselling and support. Authorities have also launched investigations into the families and individuals involved, with possible charges pending under the Marriage Act and the Children’s Code Act.
Central Province Police Commissioner David Chileshe stated that the crackdown would continue in other hotspots. “Forced and underage marriages are crimes. We are watching, and we will act,” he warned.
The incident has reignited calls for community education on girls’ rights and the consequences of harmful cultural practices. Civil society organisations have applauded the rescue and urged sustained intervention. “Ending child marriage requires grassroots engagement and legal enforcement,” said Maria Kunda of the Girls’ Justice Project.
This latest rescue adds to growing statistics that show child marriage remains a widespread challenge, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.