endeavour to ratify and domesticate into national laws such instruments, where applicable, without undue delay, and withdraw any reservation on any international or regional human rights instrument listed in the Schedule to this Model Law; Encourage Member States to put in place mechanisms to enforce or harmonise their existing legislation on children in the best interest of the child and operationalise programmes relating to the eradication and prevention of child marriage and the rights of the child in general; Adopt the following Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage for the SADC Region as a guide to legislative efforts on the matter and urge Member States to adopt measures and interventions, including the review of their laws, to eradicate child marriage and protect children already in marriages, in accordance with this Model Law: PART I PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS (Insert long title, enactment clause and short title and other preliminary matters as appropriate in the Member State) 1. Objectives (The objectives relate to the Model Law but Member States can adapt them into explanatory memorandum, long titles and objectives in their national legislation and in the style normally used. Note that some jurisdictions insert the interpretation section before the objects, normally after the short title. It is important that the form of legislation follows that of the Member State’s legislative style) Page 26 of 78

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