Ipas Africa Calls for Greater Investment in Girls' Rights on International Day of the Girl Child
On this International Day of the Girl Child, stakeholders continue to emphasize the need for substantial efforts to address these challenges and create a brighter future for girls.
LILONGWE, Malawi-Ipas Africa Southern Region has issued a call to governments to increase their investment in addressing the unique challenges faced by girls in society, writes Meclina Chirwa.
This appeal comes as the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child, which aims to shed light on the challenges confronting girls and promote their rights.
Christopher Kandionamaso, the Health Systems Advisor for Ipas Africa Southern Region, based in Malawi, highlighted the rise in unintended pregnancies as a reflection of unmet contraception needs and the lack of access to family planning methods.
He noted that early child marriages are often driven by factors such as poverty, harmful social norms, and the vulnerability of girls and women.
"As we commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child, we need to critically examine the challenges faced by girls and consider how we can address them, promote girl child empowerment, and ensure the fulfillment of their human rights. The consequences of unintended pregnancies and child marriages leading to unsafe abortions are deeply concerning. Ipas urges the government and various stakeholders to invest in and protect girls' rights by abolishing child marriages," Kandionamaso stated.
Frolence Yobe, a standard seven learner at Kalulu Primary School in Lilongwe, emphasized the urgent need for extensive awareness campaigns among adolescent girls and parents regarding the perils of child marriages and teen pregnancies.
She expressed her fear about parents forcing their daughters into early marriages, a common occurrence in rural areas such as Mchezi.
Yobe called on the government to allocate more resources to promote girls' education. She recounted a tragic incident from the previous week when a fellow student passed away due to complications from an unsafe abortion.
"In Malawi, 42% of girls are married before the age of 18, and 9% are married before the age of 15," she lamented.
On this International Day of the Girl Child, stakeholders continue to emphasize the need for substantial efforts to address these challenges and create a brighter future for girls.