Two former child brides have asked a court in Zimbabwe to declare child marriage "illegal and unconstitutional." In their landmark case, the two women argue that that early marriage discriminates against girls and violates Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution as well as international and regional treaties forbidding the practice. They emphasize that child marriage exposes girls to physical and sexual violence, traps them in poverty and deprives them of an education. According to Reuters, the case has generated considerable interest in many parts of Africa due to the prevalence of child marriage in the region.
Compiled from: Batha, Emma, Child brides take Zimbabwe government to court over marriage laws, Thomas Reuters Foundation (March 24, 2015).