Traditional leaders vow to end child marriages
Traditional leaders from ten East and Southern Africa have passed a declaration to combine efforts to end child marriages.
The pronouncements was dubbed the "Lira Declaration on ending child marriage"
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Some of the suggestions in the declaration emphasise the right age at which girls should get pregnant and marry ,ending harmful cultural practices among others.
The meeting of the cultural leaders was held in Lira town in Northern Uganda.
The Paramount Chief of Acholi, Rwot Onen Acana II, noted that all most all traditional and cultural practices in Africa are similar.
He said child marriages are a violation of human rights that rob girls of their childhood.
He added child brides are forced to drop out of school, have children before they are ready and in most cases are subjected to life of violence and abuse.
He noted in some countries like Kenya girls are forced to marry after becoming pregnant and they end up having no choice but to comply with their parents' wishes.
"A girl should be old enough to be married. For the case of Acholi is 21 years. That is when somebody can consent and Lango have made me to understand that its even 24 years which is even better,"he said.
The common thread is that most girls are economically dependent with little autonomy.
He said the right time for a girl to get married is when she is mature enough physically, mentally and emotionally.
