Gender Minister Jean Sendeza has instructed the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to promptly retract identification cards of children whose ages were intentionally inflated by parents, guardians, and chiefs to facilitate their early marriage. Sendeza made this announcement during her visit to Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga, where she expressed appreciation for the progress achieved under the Spotlight Initiative (SI), supported by the European Union and the United Nations. She emphasized that this practice constitutes a criminal offense with long-term consequences for the affected children.
Sendeza commended the Spotlight Initiative for its efforts in empowering women and girls and ending gender-based violence. She urged district councils to fully integrate the initiative into their development plans. The UN Resident Coordinator in Malawi, Rebecca Adda Dontoh, praised the local chiefs in the area for their commitment to eradicating gender-based violence. She also acknowledged their efforts in formulating by-laws that will contribute to the sustainability of the program initiated by the Spotlight Initiative, which is currently in its final year.
