The Causes of Teenage Pregnancies and Early Marriages in Zambia

The current research was initiated with the main purpose of identifying the causes of teenage pregnancies and early child marriages in Zambia. The research further examined the significant impact of causes of teenage pregnancies and early child marriages and effect of girl child in Zambia. Early marriages were an issue because the girls were being disadvantaged in terms of education. The Ministry of Education in collaborating with other partners have been trying to make sure that there is equality and equity in the attainment of education among our boys and girls but the cases of early child marriages had kept increasing from time to time. Between 2002 and 2010, there had been an increase in the number of school girls who got married. Despite the introduction of the re-entry policy, many school going girl children have dropped out of schools because of early marriages. As a result, there was still a gap between the intended goals of the government towards girls? education and what existed in schools especially in rural areas. The research was conducted among selected girls in the four selected Schools of Mansa District in Luapula province. The research design adopted both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study sites areas studied included Mabumba Secondary School, Mansa Secondary School, Mutende secondary School, and Holy Trinity Secondary School. The population of the study targeted for this study was all the girl schooling at Mabumba Secondary School, Mansa Secondary School, Mutende Secondary School and Holy Trinity Girls Schools of Mansa district. The size of 70 participants was purposively chosen. The choice of this number agreed with Creswell (1978) and Marron and Smith (1995) who argued that for studies following the tradition of grounded theory, sample sizes ranging between 57 and 100 participants were adequate. The sample size consisted of teachers, parents, administrators, traditional leaders, DEBS and pupils who were directly involved and knowledgeable in the study. The data collected was analyzed manually. The analysis of quantitative data involved frequencies and percentages of particular responses which were presented using tables, graphs and charts. The qualitative data presented in the questionnaire was also analysed manually. Hence it was concluded that the early child marriage issue is a matter of great concern, there is far too little concrete information on its prevalence or its impact but consequently, the first requirement in addressing early marriages must be addressed meaning there is need for more research and more understanding. More effective advocacy and programming must follow to address it. National advocacy campaigns to be conducted to raise awareness. The legal age of marriage be implemented or more importantly ensuring implementation of the legal age of marriage, building on recommendations made at the 2000 UN Special Session on Women (Beijing+5); Promoting an effective system of registration of births, marriages and deaths; Setting up small-scale studies into the implications of early marriage and publication of the findings of such studies; Using national and international Women?s Days to raise awareness; via social mobilization involving women?s networks, opinion leaders at the national level, politicians and community leaders; Working with the media and other institutions.