Karonga registers 367 cases of teenage pregnancies, child marriages

Karonga District Council has bemoaned rising cases of teenage pregnancies and child marriages in the district with about 367 recorded from January to December this year.

This was revealed on Tuesday during the district’s commemoration to mark 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) held at Mwanjawala Village in Traditional Authority Kyungu’s area.

Karonga district gender officer Martha Kalumbi said the district is not faring well in the fight against GBV.

“Since January, the district has recorded a number of GBV cases. About 367 are teenage pregnancies and child marriages.

“These are alarming figures and we need quick interventions from traditional leaders as well as other stakeholders,” she said.

Kalumbi, however, said she is optimistic that Plan Malawi’s Tithetse Nkhanza Project being implemented in five traditional authorities will deal with violence against women and girls.

The project targets communities with survival interventions support fund for women to access justice and medical attention, among others.

In his remarks, Paramount Chief Kyungu, who was the guest of honour, asked people to respect women’s dignity.

The 16 Days of Activism Against GBV was commemorated under the theme Generation Equality: Stand against Rape and Sexual Violence.