Mbire is a remote and rural district in the northern part of Zimbabwe in the Zambezi Valley. The area is characterized by a rugged landscape, wildlife roaming freely, and a harsh, arid environment. Mbire is isolated both geographically and in terms of access to resources, with communities largely depending on subsistence farming and small-scale trade to survive. Mbire’s distance from government services means accessing basic services like a birth certificate and/or health care becomes a significant hurdle. 

However, child marriages have unfortunately become a norm in Mbire District, with many girls forced into early unions that often lead to challenging lives. These marriages, driven by poverty and traditional customs, leave young women vulnerable to various forms of hardship, including abandonment and Gender Based Violence (GBV). In Mbire, the lack of access to basic civil documents like birth certificates is a common issue for children born into such circumstances, trapping families in cycles of poverty. Without these vital documents, children often cannot enrol in school, access healthcare, and legal, or receive other critical social services. As a result, many do not have access to basic rights such as the right to a name, right to health education, and food.

Melody (name changed) (14) is one of the many young mothers in Mbire who face these relentless challenges. Married at just ten years old, she was neither physically nor emotionally prepared for the responsibilities of marriage and motherhood. Like many girls in her community, Melody’s childhood was cut short, her future shaped by forces beyond her control marked by poverty, tradition, and the deeply rooted practice of child marriage.

Melody faced numerous forms of abuse from both her husband and in-laws, a harsh reality that many child brides endure. Melody's life worsened unexpectedly when her husband abandoned her after the birth of their twins, leaving her to raise them alone and limiting her from securing their formal identification. Birth certificates, something most people take for granted, were out of her reach. Without them, her children struggled to access essential services like healthcare, education, and social welfare support. Melody’s struggle to obtain birth certificates for her twins is a reality faced by many mothers in the district, and it reflects the larger systemic challenges linked to child marriages and family abandonment.

“Last year, I struggled to get my twins enrolled for social welfare support. Without their birth certificates, I felt helpless and worried about their future. I want my twins to have the opportunities that I never had, to grow up knowing they can pursue their dreams and build a brighter future.” said Melody.

Initiatives like the Mobile One-Stop Center, spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Zimbabwe Gender Commission are addressing deep-rooted inequalities by focusing on the most underserved populations. These mobile centers offer an integrated approach, providing not only birth registration but also critical health services, GBV legal support, and social welfare assistance – all in one accessible place. This holistic model ensures that marginalized communities are not left behind.

UNDP Zimbabwe’s Transformative Governance Unit Team Leader Tafadzwa Muvingi reiterated the importance of service provision to the hard-to-reach areas, she said “The One-Stop Centres significantly enhance accessibility to GBV services for survivors. Mbire district is one of the hard-to-reach areas and it is far from many of the different services that the communities need. These Centers are our attempt to bring a lot of basic, yet crucial services close to the communities at no cost to them and provide redress to some of the most glaring violations of women and children’s rights.”

For Melody, obtaining birth certificates for her twins was a turning point that allowed her to reclaim some control over her and her children’s future. With the birth certificates in hand, Melody’s twins now have access to the rights and opportunities that every child deserves. This not only empowers Melody as a mother but also ensures her children will not be invisible to the state. They can attend school, access healthcare, and grow up with a foundation of security that their mother never had.
“When I heard about the Mobile One-Stop Center from the Headman, I held onto the hope that it might be the solution I was looking for. The registry staff listened to my story and guided me through the process of obtaining the necessary documentation for my twins,” Melody added.

Speaking at the launch of a Mobile One-Stop Center in Mbire, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission chairperson Margret Mukahanana-Sangarwe said: “The initiative was in response to alarming findings from a national inquiry on child marriages and abuse of young girls, including those with disabilities in this area.”

Chief Chitsungo, born Godwin Muzeze, mentioned the worrisome high prevalence of child marriages and abuse of young girls in his area, saying “Cases of child marriages are rife. When these cases arise, we assist victims by involving the police, who refer them to distant health facilities. Unfortunately, the slow turnaround time for results often delays our ability to help the abused child.”

Through initiatives like the Mobile One-Stop Center, there is hope that more young mothers like Melody will have access to the tools they need to break free from the constraints of early marriage, abuse, and abandonment. It is about creating pathways for them to build resilient and empowered decisions for themselves and their children.
Melody's journey, while filled with hardship, also serves as an example of how access to essential services can transform lives and break cycles of poverty. By giving women like her the support they need, we can shift the narrative for young mothers and their children in Mbire District and beyond. 

While Melody still faces challenges within her own life, with birth certificates in hand, her children now have the opportunity to grow up with the rights and services they deserve, and Melody knows she has given them.