AU envoy calls for joint fight against child marriage

DAR ES SALAAM: THE African Union (AU) Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, has called for concerted efforts to end child marriage and protect girls’ rights, stressing that education is key to helping them shape their futures.

Speaking at a conference themed “The Power of the Girl Child: End Child Marriage, Invest in Girls’ Rights” in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, Amb Mulamula said child marriage deprives girls of educational opportunities and limits their ability to determine their futures.

She said protecting girls’ rights was a shared responsibility that requires cooperation among the government, parents, community leaders, diplomats and the private sector.

Amb Mulamula also urged men and boys to join efforts to protect girls and create a safe environment for them to pursue education, develop their talents and achieve their ambitions.

She said investing in girls’ education and rights was essential for sustainable social and economic development.

At the same conference, a property development, sales and rental company Mkuyu Africa Director Juneid Othman urged women and young people to seize investment opportunities and start acquiring assets early to build financial independence and secure their futures.

Speaking during the Women in Diplomacy Power Table conference organised by the South African High Commission in Tanzania, Mr Othman said women’s economic empowerment benefits individuals, families and society.

He noted that cultural beliefs and traditional attitudes in some communities continued to restrict women’s ownership of property, particularly land and houses.

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Mr Othman called for a change in mindset and equal opportunities for women to invest, acquire assets and strengthen their financial security.

He said Mkuyu Africa’s Miliki Mali (Own Property) initiative seeks to help women and young people acquire houses and plots of land through flexible arrangements that make property ownership more accessible.

He explained that the initiative allows individuals to purchase a portion of a multi-storey building and obtain legally recognised ownership documents.

“A building may have 10 floors, but you can purchase and own a portion of that building under the project’s ownership arrangements. You will be provided with legally recognised ownership documents, which will enable you to use the property for residential purposes or rent it out,” he said.

Meanwhile, South African High Commissioner to Tanzania Noluthando Mayende-Malepe urged women and young people to believe in themselves, work hard and seize investment opportunities to improve their economic circumstances.

She said strengthening their financial capacity enables them to contribute more effectively to community development.

Ms Mayende-Malepe also encouraged them to use social media platforms as learning tools to identify online income-generating opportunities and build financial independence.