First Lady’s blunt sex warning to Malawi students:’Use your head, not your bed’

First Lady Gertrude Mutharika has called on university students to avoid sexual activities that could expose them to early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, urging them instead to prioritise their studies and long-term goals.

Speaking yesterday at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi during the National Youth Dialogue Eastern Region Chapter, Mutharika said she felt compelled, as a mother, to address young people directly on the risks facing their generation. “I stand here as a mother with a core aim to encourage you all to work hard in your studies and refrain from sexual activities that may potentially harm your future,” she said.

The dialogue, organised under the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), brought together students from seven institutions of higher learning — including the University of Malawi, DMI-St. John the Baptist University, Malawi College of Health Sciences and Domasi College of Education — under the theme “Engage, Empower, Invest in Youth SRHR: Shape Sustainable Future.”

Mutharika said she wanted young people to set clear goals and work towards achieving them in ways that contribute to Malawi’s national development aspirations, including Malawi 2063.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Alfred Gangata commended the First Lady’s engagement with young people, describing them as the backbone of society and pledging his ministry’s support for the initiative.

Students at the event welcomed the platform as a rare opportunity for direct dialogue. Bridget Gowen, a student from DMI-St. John the Baptist University, thanked the First Lady for the engagement, saying it would leave students better informed to make decisions around sexual and reproductive health.

During the dialogue, participants raised concerns about the lack of platforms available to voice their concerns, as well as inadequate knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights among young people — challenges organisers say the initiative aims to address going forward.