ENGAGE (Enabling Girls to Advance Gender Equity)

Denise Dunning of the Public Health Institute's Rise Up program's "Let Girls Lead" initiative in the US in collaboration with the Girls' Empowerment Network (GENET) of Malawi, and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) will develop and test a multi-armed approach to empower girls with information, leadership skills, and support networks to reduce the incidence of child marriage and associated harmful traditions in Southern Malawi. Malawi has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with half of all girls married by the age of 18. This has serious effects on gender equity, health, and education. They will enroll 800 girls aged 14-18 years from two districts in Southern Malawi and hold weekly workshops over six-months to provide education and skills training. This will be followed by community activities initiated by the girls themselves, such as forming girl clubs and engaging male members of their families and communities to help remove the social and cultural forces that lead to child marriage.