Girls and women in the area of Traditional Authority Kilupula, Karonga have called on local chiefs to take action against teen pregnancies, describing the practice as a violation of young girl’s rights.
The call was made during a community level advocacy and public awareness on sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and reporting mechanism organized by Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization.
During the event, Mosh Fundi, a mentor from Ujiji, one of the safe spaces within the area, emphasized the need for traditional leaders to put deliberate measures that will ensure an end to early marriages in the area.
She said: “We, members of safe spaces here are very much concerned about early marriages in our area, so we do not want the vice to continue hence we are calling upon the chiefs to use their powers to end this vice because it distracts young girls from attaining education hence hindering development of the area.”
Karonga Police Station Victim Support Unit Coordinator, Wasauka Nyirenda also addressed the issue warning that marrying off under aged children is illegal and it is punishable by law.
“Marrying off an underaged person is a crime in Malawi and we the Police will arrest the perpetrators of such and all those people who play a role in marrying off underaged persons,” he said.
He has since called on the community members to stop supporting the vice but rather report any signs of sexual gender-based violence including the practice of early marriages in the area.
Group Village Head Mwangomba acknowledged negative impact of early marriages and SGBV on community development.
He said: “We the traditional leaders are not happy with such SGBV because development cannot go on with such violence, so you the youth need to come out and report all cases of violence that you face so that together we end violence and bring justice.”
The organization’s Project Officer for Peace building project, Barton Theu hailed the Youth and Women for advocating for an end to SGBV saying it is key in making sure that there is peace in communities.
The event was part of peace building project which is being implemented with financial support from United Nation’s Secretary General’s Peace Building Fund (PBF) through United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and is being implemented in Karonga District by Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization in partnership with Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment (FECESE).
