How This Woman Chief in Malawi Uses Her Power

Mwanza Salima, one of Malawi's female chiefs promotes girls' education and has used her authority to eliminate harmful cultural practices, including child marriage. One practice she has help ban is called Gulewamkulu where a man wearing a mask to protect his identity during traditional ceremonies, could choose a young girl to have sex with and he would do that with all the initiates.

Traditional Authority Mwanza (centre) greets Queen Mother Best Kemigisa of Uganda’s Toro Kingdom.

"I find it hard sometimes because colleagues surrounding me are not [at the] forefront to fight these practices." - Traditional Authority Mwanza

Beatrice Kumwenda (right), UNFPA Gender Programme Specialist, with one of the girls who was taken back to school in T/A Mwanza's community.

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