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Chikwawa Records Over 20 Defilement Cases in 2 Months

Chiefs and extension workers after the workshop Chiefs and extension workers after the workshop - pic by Christopher Sande

Authorities in Chikwawa have cited  increased cases of child neglect as one of the main factors fuelling abuses against little girls as statistics indicate that more than 20 children have been defiled in past two months in the district.

District Social Welfare Officer, Aeron Macheka, has told Zodiak that out of the figure, half of the cases occurred in Ngabu area.

"This is a worrisome situation. We need to take urgent measures," said Macheka.

Stakeholders in the district are heartbroken because of some parents' attitude of neglecting their own children.

Officials from three well known organizations in the district, Anderson Biliati from DIN Malawi, Paul Mchunju from Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace and Sautso Wande from Evangelical Lutheran Development Services say such activities are exposing girls to various sexual abuses

They have since asked for the popularization and enforcement of the district by laws that were formulated in 2015 to protect the girl child.

"As CCJP, we are implementing a project to end child marriages with technical and financial support from National Democratic Institute and National Endowment for Democracy.

We are doing everything possible to protect the children especially in Kasisi area with the influx of Conduril workers who are construction the canal under Shire Valley Transformation program," said Mchunju.

Currently, Chikwawa district is struggling to overcome rampant cases of child marriages as recent figures hang at more than 500.

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