Timveni Child and Youth Media Organisation has urged parents and members of communities of Salima District to work together in ending numerous challenges facing adolescent girls in the district.
Mary Karen Mhango, Project Officer for Timveni Child and Youth Media Organisation, made the call at Katelera primary school, during the annual commemorations of International Day of the Girl Child which falls on 11th October every year.
This year’s theme ‘The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030’, focuses on adolescent girls and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), which set a range of international targets including on gender equality to be achieved by 2030.
“Salima is one district that is facing challenges when it comes to girl’s education.” Noted Mhango, “Most girls are being taken by boys from South Africa, fishermen and vendors who come here to buy or sell different things. And the most unfortunate thing is that parents are also forcing their girl child to go for marriage.” She said
She added that these challenges are also preventing girls from living a normal life in their communities and that in most cases girls remain in fear of violence at school, in home, on street or as a result of forced marriages which she said are common.
Timveni’s Project Officer, Mhango then underscored the importance of community efforts in protecting, supporting and encourage girls to remain in school so that they also achieve their dreams.
“We have to end all practices that hinder girls from continuing with their education. We must work together in ending these forced early marriages, gender based violence and other forms of harassment in schools” she appealed
During the day which also saw good participation from boys and members of communities, girls had opportunity to talk and sing songs that highlight number of challenges they face and on importance of educating the girl child.
In the evening, parents, pupils, teachers and people from surrounding communities of Katelera primary school, debated and discussed ways of ending challenges that girls are experiencing in the area just after watching a local movie ‘Mwayi Wotsiriza’ produced by Theatre International which highlights the plight of girls and teachers in Malawi.
The screening of ‘Mwayi Wotsiriza’ (also set to be screened at Malawi’s National Assembly Wednesday this week for Women Caucus and other NGO’s), on International Day of the Girl Child was intended to show people that issues told during the day are real and happen.
“This movie highlights most challenges that girls are facing.” said Mhango “It is talking about the girl being disturbed in her education. Sometimes when you say things about challenges that girls face in school, people don’t really understand. So, movie brings in reality of issues that we are talking to them because through it people can see and come up with different solutions. So the movie can help enlighten communities and see the need to take an action”
