GIRLS NOT BRIDES PROJECT aims ending Child, Early and Forced Marriages, a harmful traditional practice that is affecting many poor girls in the areas of Traditional Authorities Lundu and Ngabu in Chikwawa district in Malawi.

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Two young women who escaped child marriage

Girls Not Brides Project will be implemented by YCD (Youth Coalition for the Consolidation of Democracy - Malawi). YCD is a non profit making institution registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act, registration number: TR/NC/5858, a member of the Council for the Non Governmental Organization in Malawi, registration number C1078/2017 and registered with the NGO-BOARD of Malawi registration number: NGO/L/17/027.

Girls Not Brides Project targets girls from 10 to 18 years old in Traditional Authorities Lundu and Ngabu in Chikwawa district in Malawi.

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The project shall run for a period of two (2) month (01, June of 2017-31, July 2017).

PROJECT BACKGROUND

According to UNFPA, Malawi has one of the highest rates of child, early and forced marriages in the world as it ranks eighth out of 20 countries with highest rate of child, early and forced marriages in the world According to the Ministry of Gender, Women and Children Affairs 2015 Report Traditional Authorities Lundu and Ngabu are among the communities that have the highest rates of child, early and forced marriages in Malawi. This area is recurrently hit by food deficit mainly because of population pressure, erratic nature of rainfall; land shortage, backward agricultural technology (lack of modern agricultural implements and input) and so on. Educational development in is not satisfactory. Even the existing schools have lack of capacity (lack of classroom) to host the students. Most of the schools have also no furniture, libraries, laboratories and pedagogic centers.

Women make up 51% of the population of the area. However, the Socio-economic status of girls and women is very bad. Girls and Women have very low-income even though they labor more than other household members. Girls have low access to education. Education is central to all and especially to girls and women in the fight against poverty and discrimination. This is because of poverty and harmful traditions and cultural norms.

All these result in many girl child abuses such as: Girl Child and Forced Marriages, Rape and girl child trafficking. There are also high levels of poverty among girls and women, high levels of HIV infection among the girls and women, high level of maternal mortality rates among adolescent mothers, fistulae among adolescent girls and mothers.

It is from such a background that we are making this call for support.

It is expected that the project shall achieve the following results:

- Increased participation of girls and women in decision-making including when to enter into marriage

without any coercion.

- Empowered and committed communities that value girl child and fight Child, Early and Forced Marriages

Reduced levels of Child, Early and Forced Marriages.

- Improved well-being of girls in areas of health, education and individual choices in marriages

- Reduced gender inequalities in accessing productive resources and development opportunities such as

access to education by girls thereby reducing their vulnerability to Child, Early and Forced Marriages.

- Increased public support and awareness for gender equity through gender training and social

mobilization which will challenge prevailing cultural norms that foster girl child abuses and initiate

improvements and refinements.

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Thank you for helping us !!!!!!

Girls Not Brides

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