WHAT:           The President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, will host a High- Level Breakfast on the Implementation of the Common African Position on Ending Child Marriage in Africa in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC). The event will hold in line with the 2017 African Union theme: “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”
 
WHEN:          Tuesday, 31 January 2017,
 
TIME:             8:00 to 09:30
 
WHERE:        African Union Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
 
WHO:             Hosted by H.E President Edgar C. Lungu, of the Republic of Zambia
 
WHY: The African Union Commission launched a continental campaign to end child marriage in May 2014. Several activities have been undertaken by the AUC together with Member States and partners on national launches, capacity building workshops, as well as monitoring and evaluation. The High Level Breakfast Event will provide a platform for assessing the implementation of the Common African Position (CAP) on Ending Child Marriage, adopted by AU Heads of State and Government at the 25th Session of the AU Assembly. The High Level Breakfast Event will focus on establishing a High-Level Monitoring and Evaluation Forum on the implementation of the CAP in line with the 2017 AU theme “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”
 
BACKGROUND:
The African Common Position on Ending Child Marriage in Africa was adopted by the Assembly of AU heads of State and Government Doc. Assembly/AU/2(XXV), at its 25th Ordinary Session in Johannesburg, South Africa. The AU Assembly urged on all Member States to address the root causes and consequences of child marriage with a view to ending it and called on the Commission of the African Union to develop a Plan of Action for the implementation of the African Common Position on ending Child Marriage in Africa and to submit a biennial report to the Assembly on the progress towards ending child marriage in Africa. 
 
The African Common Position on Ending Child Marriage, recognizes the continental launch of the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa and calls on AU Member States, to launch the campaign at the national level. It defines children marriage according to the already established legal frameworks as the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Child (ACRWC)
 
The African Common Position Ending Child Marriage affirms the importance of strong network of child welfare and law enforcement structures in ensuring justice for child brides. The document details seventeen (17) commitments for future action and elaborates on the roles of different stakeholders in the advocacy, promotion, policy research and evidence needed to eradicating child marriage in Africa.
 
Accredited Journalists are invited to cover the High –Level Breakfast on 31 January 2017 from 8:00 am to 9:30 am
 
For media inquiries and requests contact:
1.     Kenneth Oliko, Campaign Officer - AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa -Kennetho@africa-union.org - +251923934427
2.     Nena Thundu, Campaign Coordinator/Policy Officer – AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa – thundun@africa-union.org-  +251936983622
3.     Esther Azaa Tankou | Head of Information Division | African Union Commission | Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00 | Ext: 2558 and 2567 E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org
 
For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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