By Vincent Khonje:
First Lady Monica Chakwera has called for unity in ending child marriages in the country.
The First Lady made the remarks at Chinkhoma Primary School ground on Tuesday during the launch of Ending Child Marriages Campaign, which is part of OXFAM’s End Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) campaign.
Chakwera said there is need for all stakeholders to come together in making sure that child marriages are eliminated in the country.
“When I was chosen as Ambassador for EVAWG I used to ask myself if I can succeed in leading the initiative, but I have realized that those that are playing a big role are many, meaning that this campaign will be successful because unity is strength,” said Chakwera.
She said that she was impressed also to see that traditional leaders are taking a leading role in making sure child marriages are ended, a thing which will ensure the issue is dealt with fully.
Chakwera said government has already put in place enabling laws but parents and guardians should make sure children are protected and not married off.
“Most parents marry off their children especially girls to gain benefits that are only enjoyed once but they do not know that if the children are educated the benefits will be enjoyed a lifetime. To end the abuses children face that contribute to them not continue with their education, there is need for all of us to work together, each one of us alone cannot succeed but non-governmental organisations, parents, traditional leaders and all of us should hold hands so that this exercise of ending child marriages is successful,” she said.
Statistics from Kasungu Social Welfare Office show that in Kasungu from 2018 to date there have been 1,872 early marriages registered of which 1,107 were rescued and 217 went back to school.
Assistant Social Welfare Officer Harrison Thindwa said there are several reasons that have caused the rise in figures of child marriages, however despite challenges the district has tried to act on the problem.
“The reasons for child marriages are poverty, Covid-19 pandemic which led to closure of schools, bad traditions and customs, and conflicting laws.
“With partners’ support we are trying our best to deal with the problem, but on our own as social welfare office we have little funding and few child protection workers,” said Thindwa.
Gracing the occasion as a role model, Inspector General of Police Merlyn Yolamu urged the children especially girls to be responsible for their future.
“As children take charge of your life and be responsible. Some of the girls who are impregnated do not take heed of advice from parents.
“Take the responsibility in your hands and you can be who you want to be, you just need to work hard,” said Yolamu.
Deputy Minister of Gender, Agnes Nkusa Nkhoma making her remarks tackled the issue of young girls being defiled and said the current laws give the offenders lengthy sentences however, there will be a bill taken to parliament to give the offenders life sentences.
“What is happening now is that we pray for offenders to have a very long custodial sentence but now let me assure you that when parliament meets we are going with a bill that will make sure that those who defile children are locked in for life,” said Nkusa Nkhoma.
OXFAM Country Director Lingalireni Mihowa said Covid-19 wreaked havoc in that it resulted in most children getting married and there was need to do something about it.
“We reached out to OXFAM Hong Kong and we sent a report about the situation in Malawi and we were supported with funds for the EVAWG campaign by having a special spike on ending child marriages.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic,we worked with the parliamentary women’s caucus to spread messages about the disease and encouraging girls back to school and this campaign decided to still work with those that we worked with already,this is the reason why we asked the First Lady to launch the campaign in the constituency of honourable Khumbize Chiponda in Kasungu South East, and later we will go to other constituencies so that the work reaches out to others,” said Mihowa.
During the launch some chiefs were presented with certificates and awards as EVAWG champions.
There was also presentation of job aids to women to champion the role of mothers in promoting girls’ education, presentation of job aids to community structures, learning materials to learners and motorcycles to police victim support units.
Speaker of Parlaiment Catherine Gotani Hara, women parliamentarians Roseby Gadama, Susan Dossi and Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa who is also Deputy Minister of Agriculture attended the launch.
Also in attendance was Deputy Speaker Madalitso Kazombo as ‘he for she’ champion.
