On the eve of International Day of the Girl Child, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson Monday visited Malawi to shine a global spotlight on the need to end child marriage.
She met with traditional chiefs and girls who have returned to school after having marriages annulled.
In 2015, Malawi passed the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, raising the minimum age of marriage to 18. UN Women, together with partners, played an integral role in advocating the new law and works with traditional chiefs to change local practices.
President of Malawi, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, a HeforShe Impact Champion, has set the ambitious goal to fully implement the new marriage law within five years and appointed a special task force to that end which directly reports to him.
“Spending the day in the beautiful country of Malawi has been a moving and inspiring experience for me. Meeting with young girls, who like many in their country, are struggling with poverty and were pressured into early marriage, depriving them of their education in the process, made me realize just how important it is for
women to be able to make their own choices. It’s so encouraging to see how such a harmful practice can be stopped when communities work together to pass laws, and then turn those laws into reality,” said Emma Watson.”
Source: Arab News
GMT 05:22 2018 Saturday ,13 January
Japan's 'Virtual Currency Girls' debut to fan frenzyGMT 08:35 2018 Wednesday ,10 January
Bollywood star evicted from Paris flat over unpaid rentGMT 12:07 2018 Saturday ,06 January
'Game of Thrones' confirms 2018 gap yearGMT 08:23 2017 Sunday ,31 December
Jay-Z, Beyonce imagine daughter as US leader in new videoGMT 09:19 2017 Friday ,29 December
Beyonce's sister Solange reveals autonomic disorder, cancels showGMT 14:06 2017 Wednesday ,27 December
Five much-hyped Bollywood films that bombed at box office in 2017GMT 11:13 2017 Wednesday ,06 December
Eminem reveals more collaborations on new album due Dec 15GMT 15:27 2017 Friday ,01 December
Actress says Weinstein's assistant turned blind eye to assaultMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor