Phalombe District Youth Officer, Ian Sukali has told Zodiak Online, Wednesday that some traditional leaders are not active in their respective areas in dissolving early marriages.

Sukali said an assessment which was conducted by a committee mandated to dissolve early marriages established that mother groups are facing challenges because some local leaders are not in the fore front.

“We would want to appeal to some local leaders to join the fight against early marriages so that boys and girls should continue schooling” said Sukali.

He made the remarks when a local organization, Linguni Hope for Youth in partnership with some stake holders dissolved 30 child marriages in the area of Group village headman Mphonde in the district.

Group Village Headman Mphonde vowed to continue working with some stakeholders to end early marriages despite facing resistance from some parents.

Mphonde has since warned parents who ill-treat their children to stop, saying reports indicate that a lot of early marriages are being fueled by gender based violence. 

Spokesperson for Linguni Hope for the Youth Organization (LIHOYO) Maxwell Piriminta said there is need for concerted effort to end early marriages in the district.

Piriminta has since urged girls who have been withdrawn from marriages to go back to school once schools open to sharpen their future.

Linguni Hope for the Youth Organization is implementing a six month project dubbed Prevention of HIV and Aids among the Youths with funding from Mzake ndi Mzake.