The role of men and masculinities in mitigating child marriage: a case of Mashonaland central province, Zimbabwe=Indima yamadoda kanye nobudoda ekunciphiseni umshado wezingane: kubhekwa isifundazwe esiphakathi saMashonaland, eZimbabwe.

Abstract

Abstract Practices like the role of men and masculinities in mitigating child marriage remain an obstacle to the full achievement of better strategies to combat child marriage in Mashonaland Central. The study used redemptive masculinity theory to assess the relevance of the role of men and masculinities in mitigating child marriage. This study was qualitative empirical research where data was generated from both fieldwork and secondary sources in the form of books and journals. The study found out that low male involvement contributes much towards trapping girls and young women and their families in a cycle of poverty. It also contributes to psychological and emotional consequences of early pregnancy which presents significant health risks for girls including obstetric fistula, higher child deaths and unsafe abortion, violence and poor education made most of the girls powerless and victims of gender-based violence. The study concluded that the role of men and masculinity is relevant in mitigating child marriage in Mashonaland Central, because women’s concerns are also men’s concerns, so men play a pivotal role in mitigating child marriage, despite some inequalities and many other cultural and religious factors that were noted in the study.

IQOQA Imikhuba efana neqhaza labesilisa kanye nabesilisa ekunciphiseni ukuganana kwabantwana kusalokhu kuyisithiyo ekufezweni okupheleleyo kwamasu angcono okulwa nokuganana kwabantwana eMashonaland Central. Ucwaningo lusebenzise i-redemptive masculinity theory ukuhlola ukubaluleka kweqhaza lamadoda nabesilisa ekunciphiseni umshado wezingane. Lolu cwaningo beluwucwaningo lwekhwalithethivu lapho idatha yenziwa khona kokubili emsebenzini wasenkundleni kanye nemithombo yesibili ngendlela yezincwadi namajenali. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi ukubamba iqhaza okuphansi kwabesilisa kunomthelela omkhulu ekucupheni amantombazane nabesifazane abasebasha kanye nemindeni yabo emjikelezweni wobumpofu. Kuphinde kube nomthelela emiphumeleni engokwengqondo kanye nemizwelo yokukhulelwa usemncane ebeka engcupheni enkulu yezempilo amantombazane okuhlanganisa ne-obstetric fistula, ukufa kwezingane eziphakeme kanye nokuhushulwa kwezisu okungaphephile, udlame kanye nemfundo ephansi kwenza iningi lamantombazane lingabi namandla kanye nezisulu zodlame olusekelwe ebulilini. Ucwaningo luphethe ngokuthi indima yabesilisa kanye nobudoda ibalulekile ekunciphiseni ukuganana kwezingane eMaphakathi neMashonaland, ngoba ukukhathazeka kwabesifazane kuyinkinga yabesilisa, ngakho abesilisa baneqhaza elikhulu ekunciphiseni ukuganana kwezingane, nakuba kukhona ukungalingani nokunye okuningi kwamasiko nenkolo okwaphawulwa ocwaningweni.