Ending Forced Marriage in Malawi
Nearly half of all girls in Malawi are forced to marry before they turn 18. This activist is working to end the abuse — and has already terminated 3,000 forced marriages. Special thanks to UNICEF.
Theresa Kachindamoto, a woman bringing an end to forced marriage in Malawi
Nearly half of all girls in Malawi, a little girl could be forced to marry before age 18. Theresa Kachindamoto is fighting to end forced child marriage. Since she became chief of Dedza District, 16 years ago, she has terminated more than 3,000 forced marriages. Theresa Kachindamoto is the paramount chief, or Inkosi, of the Dedza District in the central region of Malawi. She has informal authority over more than 900,000 people. She is known for her forceful action in dissolving child marriages, inspiring the world and insisting on education for both girls and boys.
She made sure that there are no more child marriages in her area. The youngest child in her family, she was the one chosen to be chief. She then said, “Why? Why me? She is a woman, and, in the culture, they said a woman cannot be a chief. She asks so why now?” Then they said, “That’s why we choose you, because you are good with people. So, we want you to go home to be a chief to them.” In 2017, an amendment was adopted prohibiting anyone under 18 from getting married in Malawi. But the law isn’t always enforced based on data from The World Bank. In her country, over half of the population lives under the poverty line. Most parents marry off their daughters because they can’t afford to feed them, clothe them or educate them.
Some parents force their girls to be married because they have nothing at their homes. They think a girl in servitude can bring something at their home. That’s why she believes they do that to survive. She talks to the parents, together. She sits down and discusses about them forcing their child daughter to be married is bad for the childs mental health. She tries to convince them that if they educate their girl, they will have everything in the future.
Brut.
18 comments
Bernice C.
03/09/2020 07:42Amen 🙏
Gulandom K.
03/08/2020 18:42God bless you
Evelyn E.
03/06/2020 23:32Brave woman. Well done.
Janette S.
03/06/2020 02:13Good 👍👍
Tom B.
03/04/2020 10:08This so cruel and immoral.
Julio R.
03/03/2020 15:39Strong woman world to need more those
Anna G.
03/03/2020 00:09Bravo, a remarkable lady
Patricia R.
03/02/2020 22:44May God bless and keep you, Honored Lady! May He bring opportunity to the wonderful people of Malawi to escape poverty through education and jobs for all. God has placed you in the right place!
Nancy W.
03/02/2020 20:17Thank you !
Tere J.
03/02/2020 20:13Que vergüenza....
Tere J.
03/02/2020 20:13Sting women, en México existen poblaciones en donde aún se práctica este crimen
Lucita L.
03/02/2020 18:37Strong women can make change happen!
Bharat B.
03/02/2020 16:50Very sad
Phoenix L.
03/02/2020 16:30The womb needs time to properly mature.
Grisel R.
03/02/2020 16:15Dios mio
Hodi E.
03/02/2020 15:52Brut you should share more stories like this instead of the bs propaganda.
Hodi E.
03/02/2020 15:51Sad
Ogbe A.
03/02/2020 15:43That’s Crazy