BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT OF PEACE AND GOVERNANCE STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE THROUGH EARLY CHILD MARRIAGES: A CASE OF MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE, BINDURA DISTRICT BY: WANIWA ROPAFADZO B1335810 SUPERVISOR: DR MUCHEMWA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FUFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS DEGREE IN PEACE AND GOVERNANCE 1 | Page RELEASE FORM Author: WANIWA ROPAFADZO Project title: STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE THROUGH EARLY CHILD MARRIAGES: A CASE OF MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE, BINDURA DISTRICT Programme: BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS DEGREE IN PEACE AND GOVERNANCE Declaration: I declare that the information contained in this project is the researcher’s original work and permission is granted to Bindura University of Science Education to produce copies without the written consent of the student Signed ……………………………………….. Permanent address: 4232, 162 Street, Warren Park D, Harare Date: …………………………………………. i | Page APPROVAL FORM TO BE COMPLETED BY PROJECT SUPERVISOR As the supervisor for………………………………………..., I declare that this dissertation has been checked for conformity with the faculty guidelines. Supervisor: DR MUCHEMWA Signature of supervisor …………………………. Date: …………………………. TO BE COMPLETED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF DEPARTMENT I certify to the best of my knowledge that the required procedures have been followed and the preparation criteria has been met for this dissertation. Signature of chairperson: ……………………………… Date: ………………………………. ii | Page DECLARATION FORM I, WANIWA ROPAFADZO, declare that this research study is my original work and has not been copied or extracted from any previous source without due acknowledgement of the source. Signed: …………………………….. Date: ……………………………… iii | Page DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my family, my father Febion, my mother Esinath, my sister Anesu and my brother Takudzwa Waniwa and my friend Tendai Tanya Chikasha. May you enjoy a long and fruitful life. iv | Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I would like to thank the Lord Almighty for his unending grace throughout my studies. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Dr Muchemwa, my supervisor, who found time to guide me during the course of my project. A special thanks goes to Mrs Mafoko, the director of the Research Department at the Parliament of Zimbabwe who has been my mentor since my internship at the institution from August 2015 to July 2016. Last but not least, I want to appreciate my family who have supported me from the very beginning. May the good Lord continue to bless all these individuals. v | Page ABSTRACT The aim of the study is to analyse the relationship between structural violence and child marriages in Mashonaland Central Province, Bindura District. A review of literature already in existence revealed that there is scarcity in terms of literature regarding indigenous methods of reducing child marriages by evolving harmful social cultural beliefs. Focus group discussions and interviews were used to collect data from 20 participants and 3 key informants respectively. Purposive and expert sampling were used to deliberately choose the respondents in the study as they are familiar with the topic. Qualitative methods were used to carry out the study as it includes attitudes, beliefs and perceptions which cannot be quantified. The data collected was classified and analysed and presented in the form of graphs and tables as well as explained in writing. The findings revealed that there is a negative correlation between structural violence (which is embedded in the social, cultural, religious and institutional structures of modern day society) and child marriages. Poverty, religious and cultural beliefs and lack of uniformity in marriage laws have been identified as the main drivers of child marriages. Experts in the field have stressed out the need for policy reform and alignment of marriage laws to the Constitution in order to mitigate the issue of child marriages. However, there is need to use a multi- disciplinary approach where all measures complement each other as they cannot produce the desired outcome if applied in isolation. vi | Page ACRONYMS ZWLA Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association ZIMSTAT Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child vii | Page Contents RELEASE FORM ............................................................................................................................ i APPROVAL FORM ....................................................................................................................... ii DECLARATION FORM ............................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ v ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... vi ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................ vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the problem .......................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Aim ........................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Research questions .................................................................................................................... 4 1.6 Assumptions .............................................................................................................................. 4 1.7 Significance of the study ........................................................................................................... 4 1.8 Definition of key words ............................................................................................................ 5 1.9 Delimitations ............................................................................................................................. 5 1.10 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.11 Chapter Outline ....................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 8 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................. 8 2.2.1 Structural violence as a human rights violation ..................................................................... 9 2.3 Prevalence of early child marriages in contemporary society ................................................ 10 2.3.1 Child marriage prevalence in Zimbabwe ............................................................................. 11 2.4 The interplay between structural violence and early child marriages ..................................... 12 2.4.1 Socialisation ......................................................................................................................... 13 2.5 Efforts to reduce incidences of early child marriages ............................................................. 13 2.5.1 Legal reform and re-alignment of marriage laws ................................................................ 14 2.5.2 Promotion of positive attitudes and beliefs .......................................................................... 15 viii | Page 2.5.3 Social justice, an end or means? .......................................................................................... 15 2.6 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 17 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 17 3.2 Qualitative research paradigm ................................................................................................ 17 3.3 Research design ...................................................................................................................... 17 3.4 Study population ..................................................................................................................... 18 3.5 Sample....................................................................................................................................