As the first-ever regional model law on child marriage, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage* (hereby referred to as the Model Law), provides a common framework to end child marriage and protect children already in marriage, for law-makers, policy-makers, service providers and civil society, among other actors across the SADC region. It has the potential to trigger law and/or policy reform on child marriage in SADC Member States by providing an easy-to-apply regional standard and to promote cohesion among SADC Member States’ in relation to their legal response to child marriage.
Unless this Model Law is properly understood by all stakeholders and used in the development of national legislation and policies, it will remain nothing more than a promissory note. Thus, convinced of its potential, the SADC-PF partnered with Girls Not Brides and UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office (UNFPA ESARO) to develop a user-friendly Guide to using the SADC Model Law.