Written by: Emmanuel Moyo
Chiefs and the Karonga Women’s Forum have embarked on a campaign in a bid to curb early marriages and teenage pregnancies in Karonga.
The development comes at a time when Karonga district has registered many cases of early marriages and pregnancies.
In an interview, senior Chief Kilupula said early marriages and pregnancies have been a song in the district.
“We are trying very hard to speak to parents and also mother groups so that things should not get out of control.” Kilupula said.
In a separate interview, Karonga Women’s Forum’s programs Officer Jessie Mwabusegha said the forum is sensitizing chiefs as well as parents on matters surrounding the malpractice.
“We conduct awareness campaigns to parents so that they encourage their children not to go to risky places and not to allow their children to go out at night.” Mwabusegha said.
She added: “We visit chiefs who invite their subjects and we teach them means to avoid early marriages and pregnancies.”
The forum also strongly warns young boys and men about the consequences of indulging into the malpractice and tells them that they will land into jail once caught.
For the young girls who are forced or get into early marriage, Karonga Women’s Forum ensures that they go back to school and encourages their parents to support them.
Early marriage has been on the rise over the past year in the country and this has been attributed to the school closures induced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
