Malawi: Marriage age pegged at 16

  1. Posted on Monday 3 August 2009 - 08:06
    Sam Banda Junior
    Image of Sam Banda Junior
    Sam Banda Junior, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
    Malawi has increased the marriage age from 15 to 16 years. This came after the country's Parliament amended the Constitution. A Clause 9 in the Constitution (Amendment) Bill in the southern African nation passed in the Malawi Parliament with over two thirds majority voting in support.
    malawi map
    But some Members of Parliament from both the government and opposition side are said to have quashed the bill before it went through. The MPs suggested that the marriage age be pegged at 18 or 21 and called on the country’s Minister of Justice to consider that.

    One of the MPs Lifred Nawena was quoted by the country’s local daily of the Daily Times as saying that marriage at the age of 16 was contrary to government policy to educate the youth.

    Another MP Chimango Mughogho said at 16, a girl was not mature enough to give birth, which a marriage would require, if Malawi was to reduce maternal deaths. However, the country’s Minister of Justice Peter Mutharika thought the increase to 16 was positive.

    “Eighteen would be fine but 21 might be too old. We could say 18 with parental consent or 21 without, but that is a matter of policy,” said Mutharika.

    Some people also interviewed randomly in the commercial city of Blantyre welcomed the increase but said the marriage age could have been 18. They said that 18 was the appropriate age which is also the age for voting adding that it is the period when one is mature enough to make decisions.

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