Lilongwe, Malawi - UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive agency has reiterated its commitment to work with Shaping Our Future Foundation (SOFF), founded by the First Lady of Malawi, Madame Monica Chakwera, to fight child marriage and teen pregnancies.
During a courtesy visit to the First Lady, UNFPA Malawi Representative, Ms. Nelida Rodrigues, expressed her organization's admiration for SOFF's efforts to end child marriages. She emphasized a desire to strengthen the partnership, particularly in tackling teenage pregnancies.
Ms. Rodrigues said:
Despite substantial investments in this sector, the conditions for girls remain suboptimal, particularly concerning education. Teen pregnancies and child marriages continue to deprive many girls of their future
She continued, "We have collaborated closely with the First Lady's Foundation and are keenly aware of the impressive work Madame Chakwera has been undertaking over the years. There is a powerful synergy between our work, and we are eager to deepen this partnership."
On her part, Madame Chakwera highlighted the educational challenges faced by girls, noting the high dropout rates in senior primary classes and the starkly low transition rates to secondary education.
"In lower primary classes, girls' enrolment is satisfactory. However, we witness significant dropouts in senior primary levels. Merely five percent of girls who sit for their standard eight exams progress to secondary school. This is a disheartening predicament for the nation, underscoring the need to prioritize girls' education," she remarked.
The discussions also touched on the possibility of initiating high-level advocacy talks aimed at ending child marriage, involving key sector stakeholders.
"Our ardent hope is for the First Lady to spearhead these discussions, given her established role as a champion for the girl child and her extensive efforts to enhance their well-being," Ms. Rodrigues explained.
SOFF is actively engaging with community-based women's groups to foster local advocacy efforts. These groups receive financial empowerment through self-help projects, enabling them to support girls locally and advocate for issues that hinder girls' education.
“The high level advocacy discussions are a welcome idea,” said Madame Chakwera. “We are already working with local women groups and we have seen remarkable changes when communities are given the right tools and knowledge to change social norms.”
UNFPA and the SOFF started collaborating since 2021. Over the years, UNFPA has supported SOFF with reusable menstrual hygiene and sanitary pads to over 2,000 girls, and also on advocacy to create awareness on infertility stigma, discrimination, and gender-based violence. The two organisations will soon sign a new memorandum of understanding focusing on specifically ending child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
Joseph Scott, Communications Analyst
