Campaign Against Child Marriage – Child Marriage Is a Crime
Kukwatiwa kwa ana ndi mlandu
Overview
According to the UNICEF 2015 report, Malawi ranks 9th out of 20 countries in terms of child, early, and forced marriage. Fifty percent of women marry before the age of 18, and in the Chikwawa district, this number rises to 73%. This leads to higher maternal mortality and morbidity among adolescent girls. Currently, the maternal mortality rate for girls aged 15 to 18 is 67 per 1,000. Girls married before eighteen often give birth long before their bodies are physically mature enough to carry a child. They also experience higher rates of pregnancy complications, HIV, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Many suffer from trauma and mental illness after childbirth. These facts stand in stark contrast to the fact that child marriage has been completely banned and is punishable by law in Malawi since 2017.
Increased Child Mortality
The infant mortality rate for children born to mothers under 20 years old in Chikwawa is 49.5% higher than for those born to mothers over 20. Lack of education is often overlooked when addressing issues of early marriage. Once married, girls are usually taken out of school because their lives become dominated by child care and domestic servitude. The current female illiteracy rate in Chikwawa district is 78%. Early marriage robs girls of their rights, freedoms, and choices. Child brides are more likely to become victims of physical and sexual abuse. This is because young girls are forced into marital relationships and often show signs of post-traumatic stress and depression due to sexual abuse by older partners. Neither their bodies nor their minds are prepared. Forced sexual encounters cause irreversible physical damage. The psychological damage is immense.
Project Goals
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Combat child forced marriages
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Raise awareness within villages about the physical and psychological harm caused to children who are forced into marriage
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Reintegration of married children back to their families
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Provide individual support for reintegrated children to develop life perspectives (depending on the situation: financial aid, counseling, school fees, business starter support)
Goal achievement
Awareness Campaigns:
YCD regularly conducts awareness campaigns against child marriages in the villages of Chikwawa.
Reintegration of the Girls:
At the girls’ request, YCD returns them along with their children to their families of origin and enables their return to school.
Requirements and Measures
The village population is involved in organizing the awareness campaigns. For example, “youth clubs” organize performances of the traditional dance “Gule Wamkulu,” adapted to the topic. In between, village elders and representatives of YCD speak out against child marriage and explain its negative impacts on those affected.
Sustainable Development Goals
Significant global inequalities are one of the greatest obstacles to poverty reduction. Girls are empowered for self-determination, and their social inclusion is promoted. The discriminatory practice of child forced marriage of girls is actively countered.