Authorities in Machinga District have called for intensified efforts to end child marriages, prevent teenage pregnancies and address school dropouts following revelations that the district recorded 1 081 child marriages in 2025.
A recent survey by Ipas Africa also shows that teenage pregnancy prevalence in the district stands at 33.8 percent among girls aged 15 to 19, above the national rate of 31.5 percent, according to the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey.
Presenting the findings, Ipas health systems adviser for the Southern Region Christopher Kandionamaso attributes the situation to harmful cultural practices, poverty and limited economic opportunities, which continue to expose girls to early marriages and teenage pregnancies.
| Haneeph Maulana
He said efforts to address the challenges require stronger coordination among organisations working in the district.
“Organisations need to coordinate their interventions and tackle the underlying factors contributing to these challenges if meaningful progress is to be achieved,” said Kandionamaso.
Youth Network chairperson Bridget Tambala from Traditional Authority (T/A) Sitola said school dropouts, poverty and limited knowledge of family planning services are among the factors contributing to teenage pregnancies.
She said some young people engage in sexual activities in exchange for money while stigma and inadequate information prevent them from accessing sexual and reproductive health services.
“As youths, we feel stigmatised; we lack accurate information and the capacity to demand our sexual reproductive health rights,” said Tambala.
Machinga District Council director of social and community services Freda Mbwana said the council, with support from Ipas, is implementing initiatives to address harmful cultural practices, change people’s mindset and encourage girls who become pregnant to return to school.
“As a district, our effort is driven towards implementing initiatives together with partners that help address harmful practices to end child marriages,” she said.
T/A Sitola said chiefs are committed to strengthening the fight against child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
“We will formulate and enforce by-laws that discourage child marriages,” he said
