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Advocacy & Campaigns

Leaving no child behind

Poverty and child rights violations remain entrenched and threaten the gains made in promoting life in all its fulness for children. Around 60.5% of the children in Malawi face poverty in different forms. The proportion of children living in ultra-poverty is at 24%, slightly higher than the national average at 20%. This is hard to accept, but the reality for the majority of children in Malawi is that life is tough, full of violence, and for some, exploitation.

Throughout Malawi, World Vision partners with different stakeholders, including the government, to provide solutions and to establish a child protection system that improves the prevention of and response to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect of children, as well as the impact of HIV/AIDS.

It Takes Malawi to End Child Marriage

What is the problem?

Malawi remains burdened with child marriage. Approximately 42% of girls marry before the age of 18, and 9% below the age of 15. World Vision's 2018 Child Rights Barometer for Malawi corroborated UNICEF's findings that an estimated 1% of boys marry before the age of 15 and 6% below the age of 18. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, with over 3,000 children dropping out of school through pregnancy. 

In Malawi, World Vision is contributing to the organisation's global campaign, 'It Takes A World To End Violence Against Children', which aims to catalyse a global movement of people committed to keeping children safe from harm.

What do we want to achieve?

To positively impact on our children by achieving a 20% reduction in cases of child marriage in Malawi by 2021, making a significant contribution towards ending violence against children as a contribution towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

We want all violence against children to stop. We believe it is possible. We will strive for this and we call on our leaders to do more to make it happen. To keep children safe, we ask leaders to make sure laws and systems are in place to protect them, that the people who care for children are supported, that those who hurt children are punished, and that safe environments are provided for children to grow and learn.

What is the impact of our advocacy work? Our achievements include...

  • World Vision is working with the judiciary to pilot mobile courts that will help speedy delivery of justice for children
  • Advocated for safe reopening of schools following closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Supported 2,490 children across Malawi with wheelchairs, helping them with mobility and access to education

Related Resources

Videos

  • Learn more about the It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children Campaign across the continent