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Introduction fertility, child mortality and successful

micro-enterprise development, which are
Girls Empowerment Network (GENET) particularly key to achieving Millennium
Malawi is a local NGO which seeks to Development Goals (MDGs), worldwide.
advance rights, status and well-being of
vulnerable girls and young women in However, child marriage is the most
Malawi. GENET empowers girls and young dangerous brute that is devastating lives of
women to advocate for gender equality, many girls in most poor communities of
justice, and social inclusion. GENET has Malawi as they end up in forced and hurried
been in operation since 2008 in Blantyre, marriages due to deep-rooted cultural beliefs
Chiradzulu, Mulanje and Mzuzu. The NGO and poverty which lack multi-sectoral and
plans to extend to new districts in the innovative approaches to oust them.
coming years.
According to 2007 Statistics by The
The NGO believes that through encouraging International Centre for Research on
the leadership of girls, women and their Women (ICRW), the figures of child
participation in key issues, it uplifts them marriage in Malawi stands at 46.9 percent,
and benefits the entire community. with the nation ranking number 17 on the
list of countries in Africa where Child
GENET Malawi is a member of Girls Not Marriage is rampant.
Brides-a global movement which brings
together non-governmental organizations Current statistics indicate that Malawi is one
from around the world to work towards of the Southern Africa countries which are
eliminating child marriage within the period grappling with effects of early marriage
of a generation. which include increase in maternal deaths
and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
Executive Summery It is estimated that 50% of girls marry before
the age of 18; 9% are married by the time
Child Marriage is a primary violation of they reach the age of 15 years and 20% of
girls’ human rights, which is increasingly girls who are supposed to be in school, are
becoming an alarm for international, not.
national and local communities because it is
a barrier to key development outcomes. There is a big deal of documentation which
shows that early marriage in Malawi
Based on the United Nations (UN) condemn innocent girls to lives of extreme
Convention on the Rights of the Child, child poverty, exposure to HIV/AIDS pandemic,
marriage is marriage under age 18 (UN ignorance and poor health.
2000). Marriage before the age of 18 is a
fundamental human rights violation. Child Child brides are often denied the opportunity
marriage excessively affects young girls, to have an education that would empower
who are much more likely to be married as them economically and socially. They lack
children than young boys (Mathur et al skills of home management therefore
2003; UNICEF 2005). exposed to Gender Based Violence (GBV)
which leads to death and trauma. There is
Girls are area of special concern and also evidence that some end up as
opportunity since their empowerment is a prostitutes.
positive indicator of good things like lower

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On health alone, first births carry special Often, traditional marriages ignore the law
risks for both adolescent mothers and their since some of them are arranged or forced
children. The primary danger first births ones that involve under aged girls.
carry is prolonged or obstructed labor,
which result in deaths or obstetric fistulas. Child Marriages and childbearing are deeply
First births also have elevated risks of embedded in harmful cultural practices. And
malaria, and infant mortality. archaic marriage laws in Malawi also
facilitate them with the disregard of young
Teen mothers further risk psychological woman’s life and future.
problems because of immaturity which
prevent them from effective handling of Currently, Section 22 (7) of the Republic of
their babies’ physiological, emotional, and Malawi Constitution says that for people
economic needs. Child brides are five times between the age of 15 and 18 years, a
more likely to die from childbirth marriage shall only be entered into with the
complications and 60% of babies born to consent of their parents or guardians.
them are likely to die, too. As a result, this compels many communities
that are misguided by cultural norms to
Teenage mothers also feel insecure and marry off their girls.
suicidal due to the social stigma hence
majority of them opt for abortion in order to However, the crisis of Child Marriage is
continue connecting with the high in most rural areas of Malawi because
society. However, they are haunted by they are entered or arranged soon after a girl
social, medical and reaches puberty stage, even before clocking
psychological consequences. the so-called legal age of 15. To most
villagers, a mere kick-off of menstruation
In general, Malawian adolescent mothers are period among young girls is a passport to
often poorer, less educated, malnourished marriage.
and prone to greater social problems.
In Malawi, girls at the age of 15 are still in
Six of the eight United Nations Millennium lower classes of primary school or drop out
Development Goals (MDGs) are directly due to repetition and souring poverty levels.
affected by child marriage in Malawi. And That is to say, even though they are forced
these are: Eradication of Extreme Poverty into marriages (which are often with older
and Hunger, Achievement of Universal people), they have nothing to guarantee
Primary Education, Promotion of Gender them of their social and economic
Equality and Empowerment of Women, independence.
Reduction in Child Mortality, Improvement
in Maternal Health, and Combating It is estimated that about 50% of Child
HIV/AIDS as well as Malaria and other brides between 14 and 20 years of age
diseases. marry, divorce or widowed and catch the
deadly HIV/Aids in Malawi due to harmful
Analysis of Malawi laws on traditional practices and porous laws.
Marriage
Interventions by Girls
Marriages in Malawi occur in forms of Empowerment Network (GENET)
tradition, legal or religious but tradition Malawi
unions are not recognized by the state.

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Problem Statement
Marriage in Malawi for girls may mean
“anything from being sent away by your
parents to the household of the man you
have been given or sold to, to a big feast
with church, reception, dinner and
honeymoon involved. It can also mean being
sent away to take care of yourself with the
man who made you pregnant, or moving in
with your boyfriend.” By this definition, Senior Chief Chitera signing community bylaws
nine percent of girls are married by age 15, (right) as GENET's Communications Advisor Joyce
and almost 50 percent of girls are married by Mkandawire witnesses.
age 18, according to UNICEF.1 of Chitera, where GENET launched its
community level advocacy, is
Intervention 1-enactment of predominantly Yao and has an approximate
Community bylaws population of 22,000.

Because of above problem, around 2011 District authorities assigned GENET Malawi
GENET Malawi started a programme called to start work in Chitera because issues of
Stop Child Marriage in Chiradzulu district child marriage were rampant there.
whose dedicated efforts have contributed
The NGO targeted traditional leaders at
significantly to the drafting and enactment
three levels – village heads, group village
of community by-laws which are aimed at
heads and the traditional authority, together
curbing Child Marriage and perceptions in
with parents in the community to come up
the area of Traditional Authority Chitera.
with viable strategies to fighting the crisis of
Chiradzulu is one of 31 administrative Child Marriage. All agreed to mobilize
districts in Malawi and one of 13 districts in themselves and establish local laws that
the Southern Region with high prevalence would stop Child Marriages by imposing
rate of Child Marriage. penalties such as chickens and goats to
offenders.
The district lies just about 30km to the
northeast of Blantyre and borders with With facilitation of GENET, the community
Zomba to the north and Phalombe to the members drafted the laws which were read
east. According to the 2008 population to a larger community through marches,
census, it has an estimated population of walks and awareness campaigns. To cup it
326,000 people. The predominant ethnic all, Senior Chief Chitera singed the
group is Yao, but due to proximity with community bylaws in agreement at a
Phalombe, there is a significant population colorful ceremony marking its official
of Lhomwes. The district has six traditional enactment. The District Commissioner of
authorities who exercise customary Chiradzulu was also invited to administer
jurisdiction over the people. The community the signing of the act into bylaws.
In an effort to increase community
awareness of the bylaws, GENET facilitated
another walk around the community with
1
UNICEF, At a Glance: Malawi, 2010, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/malawi_statistics.html#90

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girls carrying placards with messages human Rights abuse will continue
extracted from the bylaws. happening in Chitera. Hence the
introduction of a one-year socio-economic
Impact: Since the enactment of the bylaws empowerment project for
in the area of Chitera, there has been a young women, with financial support from
decrease in child marriage and an increased African Women’s Development Fund.
enrollment of girls in school. A total six
girls were rescued from early marriage and The scheme uses the approach of Village
expressed interest to work with GENET as Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs),
ambassadors against Child Marriage. which is aimed at improving village
GENET took advantage of this to turn women’s socio-economic status by
survivors of the Child Marriage into models increasing their participation in economic
and tools that help to fight the crisis of Child activities. It entails distribution of match
Marriage. grants (capital equipments
and materials) to five young women
A renowned village headman in the area of
associations, which were trained in vigorous
Chitere was also dethroned for impregnating
Business Management Training in Micro
a teenager girl. Parents who insist to marry
Entrepreneurship.
off their girls are reportedly sending them
away from Chitera in fear of facing the
consequences. This is apart from a number
of girls who spoke highly of changes they
have experienced as a result of GENET’s
advocacy efforts, such as increased
knowledge on the right to education.

Intervention 2-Social and

Economic empowerment of
young women
Senior Chief Chitera joined by other community
Rural women are the most poorest and members in celebrating the impact of the VSLA
scheme during one of the review meetings.
marginalized
group of people in Malawi. They are often Impact: From the 100 young women,
discriminated against and who are targeted, the initiative has a
secluded from various social and economic replicable approach which will
activities. see 5,000 young women benefiting
Baseline Survey conducted by GENET indirectly.
Malawi in 2010 in the area of Chitera
indicated that poverty was one of the factors But the first phase of the scheme has seen 40
that encourage many households to marry women from two groups namely; Tikondane
off their daughters whom they believe that and Titukulane VSLAs, receiving a
they create a burden of responsibility for matching grant of K500, 000 (approximately
them. UU$1,222) each group of 20 vulnerable
Executive Director of GENET Faith Phiri women.
observed that unless women are empowered Agnes Filimoni is among 40 young women
both socially and economically, the plague who have benefited from the VSLA scheme
of Child Marriage including other cases of and shares her story:

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“Since I embarked on a small-scale business small scale
of selling locally made washing baskets my businesses, too.
life has changed.
The fact that I am now able to meet some of “As much as we want teen
the needs in the house, my husband, who has mothers and other vulnerable girls, who
another wife, thinks I am becoming rude and head their families to go back to school.
don’t want to listen to him. He still wants Some say their
me to be a kind of a wife whom he was used immediate needs are food, shelter and
to see crying each time I want help from clothes. So, also gave them capital so that
him. But I don’t blame him because this is a they embark on various businesses that
general problem to do with negative could help them generate
perception which many men have when income,” says Phiri.
women in society begin to be transformed,”
says Agnes Intervention 3-Promoting girls’
She says poverty, which renders many leadership skills
families
hopeless, One of the most pressing challenging facing
compels them to Malawian girls today is lack of knowledge
push their girls and skills in order to stand up for their rights
in Early in society. As a result, it becomes hard for
Marriage. them to gather courage and speak on issues
that affect them in their everyday lives. Yet
But the becoming productive and individual
economic contributors who can be effective and
empowerment proactive in dealing with some of the
project is Human Rights violations abuses is greatest
Agnes Filimoni: I am now
able to meet some of the equipping many weapon. GENET Malawi introduced
needs in my family hence I women with leadership programme for girls in order to
have no thoughts to marry business skills develop their positive leadership knowledge,
off girls. and knowledge attitudes, skills and aspirations.
to ensure that
their lives are improved and have power to GENET Malawi believes that with
fight Child Marriage and knowledge, girls would be able to make
stand up against all inequalities such as informed decisions about when they want to
Gender Based Violence. get married, and also be able to report to
relevant authorities if they felt they are
“This project has empowered me to confront subject to unnecessary influence to get
Child Marriage, married early.
which is caused by poverty and poor
perception towards a Girl-Child,” says Impact: Vulnerable girls from rural areas of
Agnes. Chiradzulu and Blantyre are now
demonstrating improved knowledge and
Apart from women, vulnerable girls who
skills on their rights, the art of public
serve as heads
speaking, gender and outreach skills. This is
of their respective families and have no
appreciated through their active participation
immediate interest to go back to school also
in gender and Human Rights issues at both
access the grant to ensure they venture into
community and national level. About over
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500 girls were engaged into a direct training empowerment of girls and women in
in Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Malawi.
content, Reproductive Health and Rights,
Advocacy and basic leadership skills. A girls’ conference was held at Kamuzu
Institute for Youth in Lilongwe, the capital
Girls in our catchment areas now have city where girls presented a letter to the
strong self-defense because they realize the State President of the Republic of Malawi,
negative effects of harmful practices such as asking her government her review the
Early Marriage, sexual cleansing and many marriage bill from 15 to 18.
other societal ills. The girls’ letter was submitted through
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of
Intervention 4-fighting for policy
Gender and Child Development Dr. Mary
change on Marriage bill Shawa.
GENET Malawi And through a
has also been a policy dialogue
very active rights which was held
campaigner for on September 6,
the much-needed 2012 at Kwacha
review of Conference
Malawi’s Centre in
Marriage Bill Blantyre,
which is systematic
enshrined in the suggestions of
Constitution. policies and
The NGO has programs that
been working at are aimed at
both national and ending the crisis
Panelists which included Lawyer Mandala Mambulasa
local levels with (left) during a policy dialogue of Child Marriage in
various Malawi were made. And
stakeholders in order to influence the broader guiding principles for possible
government to increase the minimum solutions were proposed by relevant
marriage age from the current 15 to at least stakeholders such as young women
18 years. To this end, GENET Malawi has advocates, lawyers, journalists, girls, chiefs
implemented a number of activities and government officials.
including producing a documentary on the
life of a girl married early to raise policy Participants made a resolution that
makers’ awareness about absurd proportions prevention of Child Marriage requires
of the issues, holding policy dialogue programs that focus on policy change, girls’
sessions, and participating in a national empowerment, community mobilization,
consultative meeting on the subject. enhanced schooling, and economic
inducements. Among other proposed
Impact: A joint campaign called No to 15: strategies are:
Yes to 18 provided a framework within
which Centre for Children Affairs (CEAF 1. Systematic consultations on deciding
Malawi) and GENET Malawi undertook a the legal frameworks that affect girls
collaborative activity related to the

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 such as the Marriage Bill for them to 6. Develop social and economic programs
contribute. for girls, who drop out of school that
2. Publicity and enforcement of the includes non formal education
national law that establishes 18 as legal programs.
age of marriage in Malawi. That is to 7. Empower community leaders and
say, only persons between the ages of 18 Legalize traditional laws so that those
and 21 should enter in marriage with found perpetrating Child Marriages
consent of their parents. should be brought to the traditional
3. Communities should be engaged courts and pay fines. The payment of
through awareness campaigns or bride price (Malowolo) and the practice
motivation systems to reduce Early of Early Marriages under traditional
Marriages. laws in Malawi is the effect of increased
4. Massive awareness about the vulnerability of girls. Therefore, these
implications of teenage marriages courts will have a direct responsibility to
should be raised among parents, discourage such malpractices that fuel
individual persons, community leaders, child marriages.
and policymakers.
5. Development of deliberate policy which Then a Policy Brief was developed by
will see girls getting married at least GENET Malawi and distributed to
after completing their secondary stakeholders including the government.
education. There should also be special
campaign to bring back teen mothers to
school.

Intervention 5-I will marry when The participatory review meeting of the girls’
stories revealed that most girls had sex with an
I want campaign older man at the time they came out of an
initiation camp hence had a feeling they were
Through financial support from Canadian ready for marriage and eventually dropped out
High Commissioner, GENET conducted a of school and married. But those who got
story writing training session with a group married experienced the worst kind of abuse at
of adolescent girls from Traditional the hands of their older husbands.
Authority (TA) Chitera and Blantyre rural.
Girls were asked to write their life stories on Impact: The girls’ appalling stories compelled
the subjects: Ambitions, Child Marriage, GENET Malawi to put them together in a
Education, Cultural practices such as publication which, to date, acts as adolescent
girls’ tool for advocacy against Child Marriage
Kusasafumbi. Kusasafumbi is the practice of
in Malawi. The publication was launched at a
sexual cleansing performed after a girl has colorful ceremony in Lilongwe and was
gone through initiation. It usually involves distributed to policy makers and other
sex with an older man and often leads to the stakeholders that were part of the event for their
transmission of sexually transmitted action.
infections, such as HIV, or pregnancy.
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GENET Malawi is committed towards elimination of Child Marriage, gender inequalities in
Health, Education and Economic opportunities and Gender Based Violence and discrimination
against women and girls. And it in its quest to keep the fight against Child Marriage alive,
together with other stakeholders, the NGO makes persistent reminders to policy makers about the
need to review the Marriage Bill. This is done through organizing girls’ marches, rights

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campaigns, community mobilization and mutual working relationship with the media, both local
and international.
For more information about Girls Empowerment Network (GENET) visit our website:
www.genetmalawi.org or follow us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/GENETMalawi or
email us info@genetmalawi.org