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