Ethiopia vows to eliminate child marriage, FGM

Addis Ababa, July 23 (IANS) The Ethiopian government has vowed to eliminate child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2025.

Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen Tuesday announced a package of action at a global summit in London, hosted jointly by the British government and Unicef, Xinhua reported.

"Our approach puts girls at the heart of our commitment, working closely with them, their families and communities, to end these practices for good and break the cycle of harmful traditional practices," Mekonnen said.

Ethiopian Minister of Women, Children and Youth Affairs Zenebu Tadesse spoke about some of the achievements Ethiopia has made in recent years.

She said that the national rate of FGM has decreased by half among girls aged 14 and under, from 52 percent in 2000, to 23 percent in 2011 and the national prevalence of child marriage has declined from 33.1 percent in 1997, to 21.4 percent in 2010.

The Summit brought together young people, community members, activists, traditional and faith leaders, government and international leaders, experts and champions committed to the rights and empowerment of women and girls.