Minister speaks tough against girl`s sexual exploitation

Minister of Gender Patricia Kaliati says government is putting in place relevant legal instruments to deal with men who sexually abuse girls, warning everyone found sexually exploiting girls will face the law.

She was speaking in NKhotakota on Monday, at the commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child, held at Lozi Primary School ground in the area of Traditional Authority Mphonde.

Kaliati said it was sad to see men taking advantage of the vulnerability of girls to coerce them into sexual activities, consequently destroying girls’ future through early pregnancies, marriages and diseases.

“We will also intensify civic education, resource mobilization and utilization, training of chiefs and parents to make sure that we end early marriages,” she said.

UNICEF Malawi Country Representative, Rudolf Schwenk said gender inequality severely impact the fulfillment of children’s rights and the realization of the sustainable development goals and the goals of Malawi’s vision 2063.

He said the theme for this year was timely, based on the demands for increased access to digital technologies which has emerged as an absolute necessity.

The International Day of the girl child which started in 2012 and is commemorated by 170 United Nations (UN) member countries was this year celebrated under the theme, “Digital Generation, Our Generation.