EVERY society is shaped by its norms, those unwritten codes that guide how we live, love and build families. In Zambia, these norms have long placed marriage on a pedestal, framed by custom, validated by kinship, and sealed by the payment of bride price. For generations, this model offered clarity: a man became a provider, a woman a homemaker, and their union earned respect within the community. But something is shifting. A quiet transformation is unfolding in the homes of young Zambians, especially among those labelled ‘Gen Z’. Here, marriage is no longer the only doorway to shared life. In its place, cohabitation or living together without formal or customary ties has entered the mainstream, reframing how love is tested,...