GOMANI V IN FORE IN ENDING CHILD MARRIAGES

By Esther Manduwa

Inkosi Gomani V of Ntcheu district says inclusion of traditional leaders is critical in ending child marriages.

Gomani said the district has had its fair share of teen pregnancies and child marriages during the Covid-19 holidaywhen schools closed due to the pandemic.

According to the District Social Welfare Office, Ntcheu has recorded “Five Hundred and Sixty-Two” teen pregnancies for the past six months.

Gomani V emphasized that traditional leaders have a big advantage in influencing change considering that they work closely with the masses.

“As an ambassador for Ending Child marriages, I will approach every chief under my jurisdiction with information about the evils of child marriages,” said Gomani

He disclosed that the Covid-19 pandemic has also made things worse with some youth entering marriage as result of idleness. 

The Paramount Gomani V fears the number of girls who are in child marriages could be “very high” than recorded.

According to government statistics, there have been over Twenty-Thousand teen pregnancies and more than One Thousand Three Hundred child marriage nationwide between March and August this year.