MedRAP Strengthens Community Action to End Child Marriage in Luapula, Calls for More Safe Houses
The Medicines Research and Access Platform (MedRAP), with support from UNICEF and funding from the European Union under the Equal Chances for Human Development (EC4HD) Programme, has intensified efforts to end child marriage and adolescent pregnancy across Luapula Province through stakeholder engagement, community advocacy and locally driven action.
Between 2 and 17 June 2026, MedRAP introduced the Ending Child Marriage and Adolescent Pregnancy (ECM/AP) project in Nchelenge, Kawambwa and Mwansabombwe districts through courtesy calls to district leadership, including District Commissioners, Council leadership, District Education Boards, District Health Offices, Community Development and Social Welfare departments, the Victim Support Unit (VSU), and traditional leaders.
The project was warmly welcomed across the districts, with government officials and traditional leaders reaffirming their commitment to protecting children and supporting the implementation of community-led interventions.
Building a Network of Pacesetters
A key milestone was the successful training of district "Pacesetters"a diverse group of influential community members that included traditional leaders, government officials, media practitioners, adolescents, peer educators and social media influencers.
Participants received training on safeguarding, advocacy, referral pathways and the MedRAP Advocacy Toolkit before developing district specific action plans. Executive committees were also elected to coordinate activities and sustain momentum within their districts.
The workshops also created opportunities for different government departments to align their annual work plans and strengthen collaboration under the EC4HD Programme, ensuring that education, health, social welfare, law enforcement and traditional leadership work together to address child marriage and adolescent pregnancy.
Communities Confront the Reality
Discussions during the workshops painted a concerning picture of the challenges facing adolescents across Luapula Province.
In Nchelenge District alone, education data for the first quarter of 2026 recorded 12 adolescent pregnancies, 10 child marriages and approximately 277 school dropouts. While 83 learners successfully returned to school through the re-entry policy, stakeholders acknowledged that much more remains to be done.
Across the districts, participants identified poverty, gender-based violence, child marriage, divorce, transactional sex, limited access to sexual and reproductive health information and delayed reporting of abuse as major drivers of adolescent pregnancy.
Traditional leaders also highlighted local challenges. Paramount Chief Mwata Kazembe emphasized that stronger partnerships, effective enforcement of the law and sustained community engagement are essential if child marriage is to be eliminated.
Senior Chief Mushota expressed concern over increasing adolescent pregnancies within his chiefdom and called for greater investment in education, including boarding facilities for girls, as well as improved access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health information.
The Urgent Need for More Safe Houses
One issue consistently raised across the districts was the lack of safe spaces for survivors of abuse.
Stakeholders explained that many children experiencing abuse have nowhere to seek temporary protection, forcing them to return to unsafe environments where abuse often continues. As a result, many cases are resolved only through counselling rather than allowing survivors to access the full protection.
The challenge is particularly severe in Luapula Province, which currently has only one functional safe house located in Mansa District. For survivors in districts such as Nchelenge, Kawambwa, Mwansabombwe, Chienge and Chifunabuli, accessing this facility is often difficult due to long distances, transport costs and poor road networks.
District stakeholders called for increased investment in additional safe houses across the province to ensure survivors can access timely protection, psychosocial support and justice regardless of where they live.
Traditional Leaders Driving Change
Traditional leaders continue to play a pivotal role in transforming community norms.
In Nchelenge, headmen under Chief Kambwali chiefdom have begun reviewing community by-laws that encourage early antenatal attendance and health facility deliveries while committing to share lessons from the MedRAP workshops with more than 86 headmen across the chiefdom.
Other traditional leaders pledged to champion advocacy against child marriage within their communities and work closely with government departments to strengthen child protection systems.
Communities Creating Their Own Solutions
The workshops also highlighted inspiring examples of community-led transformation.
In Nchelenge, the market formerly known as "Kapula Mafumo" a name associated with adolescent pregnancy has been renamed "Twapane," symbolizing the community's commitment to promoting positive values and protecting adolescent girls.
Participants expressed optimism that the knowledge gained through the workshops would enable them to become stronger advocates for adolescents. They committed to raising awareness on the dangers of child marriage, supporting girls to remain in school, strengthening collaboration with law enforcement and government departments, and implementing locally developed action plans that respond to the unique needs of their communities.
As implementation continues across Luapula Province, MedRAP remains committed to working alongside communities, government and traditional leaders to create safer environments where every child has the opportunity to remain in school, realise their full potential and grow free from child marriage and adolescent pregnancy.