Senior Chief Kachindamoto has been unveiled by World Vision Malawi as the organization’s brand ambassador in its End Child Marriage campaign. Kachindamoto got the prestigious recognition last Friday due to her commitment and personal drive in ending child marriages that are detrimental to the socio-economic and well-being of the nation at a function held at […]
Traditional Authority Kilupula of Karonga has blamed parents in the district for sending young girls into early marriages in order to benefit from dowry. The chief made the sentiments following reports that the district has made strides to reduce cases of early marriages from 42 in 2016 to 23 in 2017. “Most of girls are […]
When Memory Chitsulo was still in school in Malawi she married a man a decade older. But her husband soon left for South Africa, abandoning her with a baby. Desperate for money, the teenager turned to sex work. Charities in the southern African country say child brides are increasingly being pushed into prostitution as growing […]
Despite recent legal victories, child marriage remains a key challenge in the country having the 11th highest rate in the world and the 9th highest rate in Africa. Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Dr. Jean Kalirani disclosed this in Lilongwe during the Gender Policy Dialogue aimed at catalyzing and strengthening the ongoing […]
Malawi Police in Mangochi the lakeshore district in southern region have arrested a couple for forcing their 16-year-old daughter into early marriage. Mangochi deputy police spokesperson Sergeant Amina Tepani Daudi says the couple Twaha Umar (58) and Esnart James (43) made marriage arrangements for with 24-year-old man Saidi Upile last month without the girl’s consent. […]
Malawi Police in Salima arrested six people from Group Village Headman Kawanga in the area of Senior Chief Kalonga on allegations that they arranged a marriage for under aged children. The six were identified as Anus John aged 40, Chrissy Rabson 42, Frank John 53, Saidi Rabson and Daudi Chambo all from Chambo village in […]
Cases of early and child marriages have significantly dropped with the country recording a four percent reduction rate following a 2015-2016 Lekeni (Stop) campaign, government has said. Minister of gender, children, disability and social welfare Dr Jean Kalilani said this on Tuesday in Lilongwe during a press briefing on the current situation of child marriages […]
A World Vision initiated aggressive campaign against child marriage has finally taken off and it is expected thousands of girl children will be taken out of their marriages. The campaign comes amid reports that 50 per cent of girls are married below the age of 18. In a crusade dubbed ‘It takes Malawi to end […]
Life Concern Organization (Lico) has called on government and non- governmental organizations to step up efforts in rooting out problems that are forcing girls into early pregnancies and marriages. Lico Executive Director Peter Gondwe said this on Saturday at St. Denis Hall in Rumphi during a Girls Forum on Early Marriages that was organized by […]
Members of parliament from across the political divide in parliament on Tuesday threw behind their differences and unanimously agreed to raise the definition age of a child from 14 to 18. This being a Constitutional amendment, there was need for two-thirds majority in the 193 strong House to make the amendment. The first attempt to […]
Over 20 girls in the area of Inkosi Khonsolo in Malawi’s northern region district of Mzimba have been rescued from marriages and returned back to school – courtesy of a project dubbed collective efforts in being implemented by Action Aid Malawi. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a display of activities from schools around […]
Malawi delegation participated to Africa Union’s first-ever African Girl’s Summit on Ending Child Marriage held in Lusaka, Zambia. A two-day gathering which started on Thursday unites diplomats, UN officials and NGOs for talks on how to change regional cultural norms. The African Union says about 14 million under-age girls are married on the continent each […]
In an effort to encourage girl child education and abolish early marriages Senior Chief Inkosi Kachindamoto has terminated 330 teenage marriages in her territory and has since sent the couples into various primary and secondary schools. Her initiatives coincide with Government agenda to end early marriages following the enactment of Marriage, Divorce Relations Bills which […]
The custom in Malawi of sending girls to sexual initiation camps is just as harmful as child marriage and must end if the nation is serious about protecting girls’ rights, a teenager who escaped being a child bride said. Memory Banda, 18, said the tradition of early sexual initiation, seen as a way of preparing […]
Malawi outspoken minister for gender, children, disability and social welfare, Patricia Kaliati has expressed excitement with news that President Peter Mutharika has approved a law which lifts the age for marriage from 16 to 18. The Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill was ratified by parliament on February 12 and President Mutharika has since has […]
Malawi has outlawed child marriage after the much awaited Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill which has streamlined legislation on marriage and divorce, and also introduced a new marriage age of 18, was tabled and has been passed by MPs in the Parliament. Malawi had one of the lowest legal ages of marriage in Africa. […]
Panos Institute Southern Africa executive director Lilian Kiefer said child marriages can be prevented through effective programmes, legal and policy interventions in Southern Africa. Kiefer, a Malawian, made the remarks on Monday during the opening ceremony of a two days media training workshop on ending child marriages in Southern Africa at Protea Hotels in Lusaka, Zambia. The […]