36 girls withdrawn from marriages

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Sexual cleansing

A total of 36 girls who dropped out of school in Phalombe due to early marriage or pregnancy have returned to school.

This is according to Concern Worldwide Project officer for Right to Learn project, Mphatso Magwaya who confirmed the development to the local media.

child marriages
Child marriages still a matter of concern in Malawi (Image credit: www.peacetimes.news)

Magwaya said through various structures at school and village levels a lot of girls are being withdrawn from marriages.

“There is a tremendous improvement among some parents as they are no longer resisting to terminate child marriages in their respective areas,” said Magwaya.

She added that there is a challenge of late reporting of sexual violence to the police among parents, a situation which is compromising evidence in court.

According to Magwaya, of the 36 cases that were reported only 12 have been concluded in court while the others are delaying due to lack of substantial evidence, thereby giving room to perpetrators to be freed by the police or courts.

Dzenje primary school in Khongoloni Zone received a total of eight girls who dropped out because of early marriage and pregnancy.

Attributing the development was Headteacher Nelson Teputepu who said this is as a result of good working relationship between the school and the community.

A consortium of three non- governmental organizations – Concern Worldwide, Women’s Legal Resource Centre and Theatre for a Change – in 2016 rolled out a project dubbed the Right to Learn project to create a safer learning environment for marginalised girls in Phalombe.