Member of Parliament for Chikwawa Mkombezi Honourable Abida Mia who is also Deputy Minister of Lands says girls from Chikwawa are flocking to Mozambique to engage in sex work or get married to Mozambicans.
Abida Mia told Malawi24 that many girls in Ngabu are indeed crossing the borders for prostitution and others are getting married to Mozambicans.
“We had huge amount of girls here in Chikwawa especially in Ngabu crossing the borders for prostitution and also to get money that can help them in their everyday lives and most of these girls are living in pathetic situation in Tete Province, others are married to Mozambicans while others venture into prostitution. As a member of Parliament for this Constituency I am trying my best to help the girls and it is sad that young girls are suffering, others are giving birth at a tender age,” said Mia.
She also noted that she will make sure that this behavior comes to an end and also engage the Ministry of Gender to bring back the girls to Malawi because it is sad to the nation when teenage girls are going in other countries to do prostitution and also get married because by doing so, their future is at stake as well as their health status.
“We have had discussion with the Ministry of Gender to bring back the girls, get them back into school and also talk to the parents on what is making them allowing teenage girls to cross over to Mozambique.
“These girls they are not being protected, they do not understand the dangers of prostitution as regards to HIV and Violence against women so these things have to be rectified but through the parents as well, because as you know they are under age girls they really don’t understand those things,” said Mia.
Meanwhile Minister of Gender Honourable Patricia Kaliati has pledged to engage enforcement to make sure young girls do not flock to Mozambique and as of now her Ministry is working on bringing back the girls to Malawi as soon as possible.
