Malawi chiefs want marriage age at 21
Paramount chiefs and senior traditional leaders from across the country have urged the Malawi Government to shift marriage age to 21 from the current age of 15.
Speaking in Lilongwe at an international meeting of top officials from southern and eastern Africa on Wednesday, at least five most senior traditional leaders raised this and other concerns about the girl-child, including issues of girl education, sexual reproductive health rights, culture and forced marriages.
Paramount Chief Lundu of the Chewa/Mang’anja people, who led the other senior traditional leaders during the meeting, said chiefs want to lobby Parliament to put the marriage age at 21.
Said Lundu: “We immediately outlaw civil and traditional statues that promote early marriages within our communities and jurisdictions. We want the marriage age to be at Pohamba 21 and a girl-child to have an opportunity of good education.”
On her part, Senior Chief Kachindamoto of Dedza said she already agreed with chiefs in her area to discipline families which marry their girl children before the age of 21.
“Young people in my area, especially girls who want to get married, must be approved and their age confirmed by the chiefs,” she said.
Other chiefs who spoke on the issue included Inkosi ya Makosi Gomani V of the Maseko Ngoni in Ntcheu, yet-to-be-installed Inkosi ya Makosi M’mbelwa V of the Jere Ngoni in Mzimba, chiefs Chikumbu of Mulanje, Chikowi of Zomba and Kwataine of Ntcheu.
In her remarks, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Clara Makungwa acknowledged the chiefs’ efforts on girl-child and assured them of government support in addressing their concerns.
Sheila Tlou, who led the High Level Task Force for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV/Aids (HLTF), a grouping for the international officials, said the group will return to Malawi to give more support for the girl child.
