Kilifi County has launched an innovative partnership with religious leaders to shift deep-seated social norms that perpetuate child marriage and adolescent pregnancies in the coastal region.

The collaboration, launched at Pwani University, and formalized through the Interfaith Adolescent Girls' Health Hub Project, brings together Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist leaders under the global Faith to Action Network to address a crisis that sees about 47% of girls forced into early marriages. 

According to Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro, faith leaders have the influence required to protect, uplift, and empower the community in the predominantly Mijikenda community.

Official signing and launching of the Interfaith Adolescent Girls’ Health Hub Project

The program faces complex challenges in reconciling religious traditions with national laws and human rights.

Sheikh Ali Kiponda, representing the Muslim community, acknowledged the tension between Islamic sheria, which permits marriage after puberty, and Kenya's legal marriage age of 18.

"Our Muslim laws allow us to marry off a girl as soon as she enters the adolescent stage but this is not in line with Kenyan laws-attainment of 18 years," Kiponda said.

Faith to Action Network CEO Peter Munene framed the initiative as part of a global movement, with the interfaith network spanning 215 religious organizations across 38 countries.

The project will target Magarini and Rabai sub-counties - the most affected areas.

Highlighting Kilifi's 42 vocational training institutions, Deputy Governor Flora Chibule urged the youth to go back to school even after childbirth.

The DG also called on parents to take good care of their children as they are the primary caregivers.

Captain Mary Osore commended the start of the campaign, stating, "The genesis of this campaign will spearhead us moving in the right direction. Leaders have the role of guiding youth towards spiritual and moral grounding."

She also noted that while religious leaders play a crucial role, parents remain the first line of defense.

The Kilifi initiative mirrors successful interfaith approaches in other African nations, where similar collaborations have reduced child marriage rates.