Minister of Gender, Welfare, Mary Navicha, has expressed the government’s concern over the growing challenges linked to the sex-for-fish practice in Nkhotakota District.
She made the remarks during an engagement with the fishing community at Vinthenga Fishing Beach in the area of Traditional Authority Malengachanzi.
Navicha described the vice as a trend that requires collective action and also stressed that sexual harassment and sex-for-fish are illegal and will not be tolerated in Malawi.
The Minister also highlighted early marriages as a serious challenge in the district, noting that cases are being reported along the lake, with girls as young as 14 accessing pregnancy-related services, signaling early sexual exploitation.
She said her ministry is collaborating with organisations such as Save the Children and is advocating for more partners to intervene.
District Commissioner for Nkhotakota, Ben Matengeni Tohno, acknowledged that the sex-for-fish practice remains a challenge in the district, saying the council has rolled out interventions through Beach Village Committees (BVCs) who have led civic education efforts on the negative effects of sex-for-fish, with additional programs planned for the district.
In 2024, the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), released a report following a survey that exposed widespread sexual exploitation within beach fishing communities in Nkhotakota District, particularly affecting women and children involved in selling fish.
By Wongani Mkonkholo, Nkhotakota
