Lilongwe District Council has introduced new bylaws that will force parents who lead their underaged children into early marriage pay a fine.
The initiative comes as there is growing cases of early marriages in the district with other girls as young as 12 going into marriages.
Director of planning and development at the District Commissioner’s office Willard Chirwa said that the bylaws have been drafted already and they wait to be approved by the ministry of justice.
According to Chirwa, the laws will help reduce the cases of early marriages in the district.
Global Hope Executive Director Caleb Thole asked the ministry to fast-track the process of approving the laws saying if that is not done in time, Lilongwe is at risk of loosing alot of girls to early marriages.
