A new digital dashboard has been launched to track how parliaments across Southern Africa are implementing laws aimed at ending child marriage, in a move designed to strengthen accountability and push governments to turn policy commitments into action.
The tool, unveiled in Johannesburg, South Africa, will monitor the integration of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage into national legislation across the region.
The initiative is expected to help lawmakers identify gaps in implementation, assess progress and make evidence-based recommendations on legal reforms, funding and programmes to protect children.
Speaking at the launch, Vice President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Sylvia Lucas-Izaks, described the dashboard as a significant step towards improving oversight and ensuring that commitments to end child marriage produce measurable results.
She urged stakeholders to use and share the platform to monitor progress, identify obstacles and inform policy decisions.
“The Dashboard is a milestone in our collective effort to strengthen evidence-based action and accountability, so that every girl is counted, every commitment is tracked, and every gap is seen,” Lucas-Izaks said.
SADC PF Secretary-General Boemo Sekgoma said the initiative was developed through collaboration among parliamentarians, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, young people and technical experts.
The working group involved international organisations and advocacy groups, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Plan International, Girls Not Brides, Hivos, CARE International and Equality Now.
Sekgoma described the dashboard as a potential game changer for parliamentary oversight, urging member parliaments to regularly enter and update information on their progress.
She said the platform should support law reform, budget planning and public scrutiny rather than serve merely as a record of regional commitments.
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The initiative also produced a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning framework, a Theory of Change and minimum programme standards to guide national efforts to address child marriage.
Representing civil society, Hivos Zambia Country Manager Limpo Chinika said the platform must be used to influence decisions and ensure that policies are backed by adequate funding and implementation.
She stressed that data gathered through the dashboard should inform decisions, shape budgets and support programmes that improve the lives of children.
UNFPA Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Young Hong, said the tool could help close the gap between regional declarations and practical action.
Hong noted that almost one in three girls marries before the age of 18, urging lawmakers to use their legislative and budgetary powers to finance effective interventions.
Youth representative Aneth Michael of Plan International Tanzania also challenged political leaders to demonstrate the commitment needed to end the practice.
“A dashboard cannot end child marriage unless the people with the power to act are willing to act,” Michael said, urging decision-makers to listen to young people affected by the issue.
The East African Community (EAC) has also expressed interest in adopting a similar reporting framework for its member states.
Dr Lawrence Godiah, Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Officer in the Office of the EAC Secretary-General, said the bloc had adopted a Child Policy in 2016 but lacked a centralised platform for reporting indicators.
He expressed hope that closer cooperation between the EAC and SADC would encourage the exchange of experience and strengthen regional monitoring systems.
The launch was attended by SADC PF parliamentarians, United Nations representatives, development partners and traditional leaders, including Chief Madzimawe, the SADC convener of the Coalition of Traditional Leaders in Africa, Chief Chamuka of Zambia and Malawian child-rights advocate Fumukazi Zilanie.
The dashboard builds on the SADC PF’s regional campaign against child marriage, which began with a call to action in 2014. The regional body developed its Model Law in 2016 and published an accompanying user guide in 2018.
Sekgoma said ending child marriage would require sustained political leadership, adequate resources, vigilance and action at community level.
The dashboard is intended to give parliaments a clearer picture of implementation progress and help hold decision-makers accountable for commitments to protect children.
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Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
