By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, May 24, Mana: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reaffirmed its stand to collaborate with the government of Ireland and Malawi to support all initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls in the country.

UNFPA Regional Director, Lydia Zigomo made the assurance on Thursday during a tour to appreciate what the adolescent girls at Chitseka in Lilongwe district are doing in Technology and Empowerment Enhancing Networks in Safe Spaces (TEEN) project.

Zigomo said it is interesting that Malawi as a country is working towards getting out of poverty by 2063, and one of the strategies that can achieve this is by making sure that girls stay in school and be educated so that they become economically self-reliant.

“I am so impressed to see that Malawian girls have a lot of talent and capacity and I have encouraged them to understand that the sky is the limit for them.

“Many of these girls have come out from difficult situations such as early marriages, but they have found ways of starting again with their lives by venturing into various entrepreneurial development skills such as tailoring, baking and some have even gone into agriculture which is encouraging,” she said.

Zigomo asked different stakeholders to make sure that the rights of a girl child are being respected, saying no matter where she lives, she must enjoy all the rights in her life.

Deputy Director of Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Ronald Phiri thanked UNFPA for the support it renders to the country in ending gender based violence (GBV) that women and girls face.

Phiri said before the introduction of TEENS project many girls were getting early pregnancies as early as 12 years of age which was heavily contributing to cases of fistula in the country.

Phiri said the TEENS project is targeting 7,000 adolescent girls in Lilongwe, Dedza and Mchinji.

One of the beneficiaries, Doreen Kabowa also thanked different stakeholders for the initiative saying it is transforming lives of many girls in the country.