Malawi Parliament raise child age definition from 14 to 18 years: Illegal to marry a girl before 18
Members of parliament from across the political divide in parliament on Tuesday threw behind their differences and unanimously agreed to raise the definition age of a child from 14 to 18.
This being a Constitutional amendment, there was need for two-thirds majority in the 193 strong House to make the amendment.
The first attempt to make the Constitutional amendment failed as there were only 127 legislators, just short of one, out of the 128 back-benchers needed to push for the amendment. However, after several phone calls, some MPs came back where they were and managed to push for the amendment with 133 legislators.
This means a child in Malawi is a person who is under 18.
The members of parliament who spoke from both aisles of the House said this was an important amendment.
Nkhata Bay Central MP Ralph Mhone said this means the age limit for a child in Malawi has now been harmonised.
He said different laws gave different meaning of age limit for a child with some putting at 14, others 16 whilst the voting age was at 18.
Dowa east MP Chimwendo Banda said this means it would be illegal to marry off a girl before she reaches the age of 18.
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CHILDREN WARD IN OUR HOSPITALS WILL NOW BE FULL NDI ANA ADZAKA 18 KKKKKKK
18 is still too young. 21 should have been the legal age for marrying. This should be extended to both genders (male and female). At 18 very few people can be said to be responsible enough and that is made worse by the issue of unemployment in our country.
this means it would be illegal to marry off a girl before she reaches the age of 18. kkkk so you mean when you talk of a child u mean a girl only? Are there no young boys who are getting maried before this age? Our MPS please chonde ndagwira mendo yanuyo sometimes reasoning is important