Child marriages are rampant in Malawi, fueled mainly by poverty, patriarchy and traditional-cultural attitudes and practices. However, campaign efforts against the practice are beginning to bear fruit with the country recently adopting a law to raise the marrying age.

The country’s parliament has unanimously approved a bill that raises the marrying age to 18 from the current minimum of 15. The bill carries a 10-year prison sentence for those who defy the ban.