Malawi outlaws child marriage

2015-04-18 15:32:36

NEWS CENTER (DİHA) – Malawi, a country with one of the world's highest rates of child marriage, has outlawed child marriage in the wake of a 15-year campaign by NGOs.

Although Malawi is one of Africa's smallest countries, it has one of the world's highest rates of child marriage. Around 50% of women and girls are forced into marriage before they reach the age of 18, many hoping to escape poverty in a country devastated by global economic inequality.

Women have a 47% illiteracy rate and a high maternal mortality rate in the country, many because they have been married at a young age and forced to have children.

The struggle for a law against child marriage began 15 years ago. The Parliament finally passed a law two months ago, but it took until Wednesday for the president to sign the bill into law, amid debate on the issue.

(cm/nt)