Malawi is experiencing a serious teenage pregnancy crisis, with alarming numbers reported in districts like Mchinji. Kasungu and Phalombe. BRIAN LIGOMEKA writes.
Statistics from health facilities in Mchinji has revealed a staggering 4,155 teenage pregnancies recorded in just the first quarter of the year.
The numbers paint a clear picture of a community under immense pressure as they point to a trend that threatens the health and future of young girls aged between 15 and 19 years old.
Alarming Statistics
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Chikondi Chisale, characterized the statistics as alarming.
"The numbers are increasing, which is quite disappointing. This also highlights the lack of awareness regarding sexual and reproductive health issues in rural areas," Chisale, who represents the Kasungu Central Constituency was quoted by Malawi News Agency as saying.
Not only is Mchinji District witnessing a rise in teenage pregnancies in Malawi, but this trend is also evident in other districts.
From January to May this year, Kasungu District reported over 5,000 pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 19, with 176 girls opting to terminate their pregnancies.
This information was recently shared by Ensai Zimba, the coordinator of Youth Friendly Health Services in Kasungu District.
During a constituency awareness campaign on teenage pregnancies organized by the SADC Parliamentary Forum's sexual and reproductive health rights, she informed members of Parliament that the issue is significant in the district.
The statistics clearly demonstrate the gravity of the situation. The problem is substantial and necessitates prompt interventions, especially since some girls reside in remote areas where access to youth-friendly health services is limited," Zimba remarked.
As for Phalombe district a total of 5,972 teen pregnancies were recorded in 2025 among young people between the ages of 15 and 19. Out of these 200 ended up as unsafe abortions cases that sought Post Abortion Care in the district’s health facilities.
Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator for Phalombe, Esnart Likoya Kampondeni, confirmed to the local media the figures and said the reversal of the trend requires a multi-sectoral approach.
Retrospection
In the meantime, researchers from the University of Malawi have urged a reassessment of the effectiveness of interventions by both state and non-state actors.
This call for reflection emerged during a dissemination meeting held by the university's Centre for Social Research in Zomba, where findings indicated that teenage pregnancies reached 32 percent in 2024.
These figures have raised challenging questions regarding whether the interventions aimed at adolescent sexual reproductive health are effectively addressing the underlying causes of the issue.
Human rights activist MacBain Mkandawire told the local media that Malawi has spent years discussing statistics while neglecting to address the deeper structural causes of teenage pregnancies.
"The statistics are indeed alarming, but we must concentrate more on the underlying causes of teenage pregnancies."” said Mkandawire, who leads the Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO).
Catalysts
Several factors contribute to the issue of teenage pregnancies in Malawi, with the most significant being the entrenched poverty prevalent in many rural regions.
"I indeed became pregnant at the age of 17 because my parents could not provide for me. When I was selected for secondary school, they were unable to cover the fees, leading me to enter a relationship that resulted in my pregnancy," shares Saniya Molosoni from Ntaja in Machinga.
Saniya feels fortunate as the father of her child married her, but she notes that many of her peers faced pregnancies without adequate support.
Another contributing factor is the absence of comprehensive sexual education for both in-school and out-of-school teenagers.
Although subjects like Life Skills aim to provide some level of sexuality education, the content is insufficient to equip girls with essential knowledge regarding access to contraception. This issue is exacerbated by policies that restrict the distribution of contraceptives, including condoms, in secondary schools.
In certain regions, traditional customs also play a role in teenage pregnancies, as those who participate in traditional initiation ceremonies are often viewed as adults.
"Girls lacking formal education are typically the ones who hastily seek initiation ceremonies, making them more susceptible to becoming teen mothers compared to those who complete secondary education," noted Group Village Headman Kanyenda from Chiradzulu.
He pointed out that numerous adolescents encounter obstacles in obtaining sexual and reproductive health information and family planning services.
Consequences
Kanyenda states that a significant issue he observes in his village is that teenage pregnancies lead to school dropouts.
"Due to the fear of being ridiculed by their peers, pregnant girls often leave school. The situation is further complicated because even after giving birth, they find it challenging to return to school due to the fear of being labeled as mothers. Only those with considerable courage manage to re-enroll in their schools after giving birth,” he said.
As was the case in Phalombe where 200 sought post abortion treatment at the hospital, it is clear that, high rates of unintended teenage pregnancies are directly linked to soaring rates of unsafe abortions.
Driven by restrictive laws, widespread stigma, and limited contraceptive access, pregnant adolescents frequently resort to dangerous, clandestine procedures, making complications from unsafe abortion, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality among young women.
Under the Penal Code, access to safe abortion is restricted and performed on when the pregnancy threatens either the woman’s physical or mental health. A landmark 2025 High Court ruling affirmed that adolescent survivors of sexual violence have a right to access abortion care.
Despite the restrictions, over 141,000 women and girls in Malawi induce abortion, every year according to research by the College of Medicine and Guttmacher Institute .
Solutions
Both state and non-state actors are employing multi-faceted approaches to minimize the problem of teenage pregnancies, including putting priority on keeping girls in school, enforcing the legal age of marriage, and providing youth-friendly reproductive health services.
CHAVULA- There is a need for multi-sectoral approach to address the challenge
Mchinji District Commissioner Reinghard Chavula said the district is implementing various interventions to address the challenge.
"We are encouraging parents through various interventions not to allow their children to get married early. We are encouraging children to stay in school longer because the longer they stay in school, the more they are protected from the risk of getting pregnant,” she said.
She also said the district hospital provides youth-friendly health services as one of the interventions.
For Rita Sanga Langa, a Member of Parliament from Mchinji West, one of the interventions is ensuring that there are good laws and policies that address the challenge.
"As parliamentarians, we need to work on the laws. We need to think of stiffer punishment, especially for older men targeting girls," she said.
Both state and non-state entities are adopting diverse strategies to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancies. These strategies include prioritizing the education of girls, enforcing the legal marriage age, and offering reproductive health services that are friendly to youth.
Mchinji District Commissioner Reinghard Chavula stated that the district is executing a range of initiatives to confront this challenge.
"We are motivating parents through various programs to prevent their children from marrying at an early age. We are advocating for children to remain in school for a longer duration, as extended schooling offers greater protection against the risk of pregnancy," he remarked.
He further noted that the district hospital provides youth-friendly health services as part of these initiatives.
For Rita Sanga Langa, a Member of Parliament representing Mchinji West, one of the key interventions involves ensuring the existence of robust laws and policies that address this issue.
"As legislators, we must focus on refining the laws. We need to consider implementing harsher penalties, particularly for older men who target young girls," she emphasized.
As explained by lawmakers, government officials and local leaders, the challenge of teenage pregnancies in Malawi demands a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach that recognizes the complex social, economic, and cultural factors involved.
By coordinating efforts across education, healthcare, community engagement, and policy enforcement, the root causes can be addressed and, hence, reduce teenage pregnancies.