World Vision Malawi has urged parents to desist from marrying off children in a bid to promote the country’s economic development.

World Vision Country Representative, Henzel Nyathi said child marriages infringe on the wellbeing and development of young girls and reduces their chances of contributing to development activities.

Nyathi said parents should focus on keeping their children in school and ensure that they come independent so that they should not be carried away with enticements from men.

“Marrying off children is not a solution to ending poverty as some parents claim.

“Early marriages denies the girl child access to quality education and her right to participate in developmental activities, which fuels illiteracy levels and poor economic growth.

“It also affects her health as she is more prone to many diseases due to the limited care she hardly accesses,” narrated Nyathi.

Nyathi has urged parents to find long lasting solutions to end poverty and support their girl child adequately at all cost.