The Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM)provides an analysis of economic and structuraldevelopmentissues in Malawi. This edition was published inNovember 2018. It follows seven previous editions of the MEMand is part of an ongoing series, with future editions tofollow twice each year.The aim of the publication is tofoster better-informed policy analysis and debate regardingthe key challenges that Malawi faces in its endeavor toachieve high rates of stable, inclusive andsustainableeconomic growth. The MEM consists of two parts: Part 1presents a review of recent economic developments and amacroeconomic outlook. Part 2 focuses on a special topicrelevant to Malawi’s development prospects. In this edition,the special topic focuses on ending child marriages andearly childbearing as well as improving girls’ level ofeducational attainment.Despite substantial progress over thelast two decades, girls still have lower average levelsofeducational attainment than boys at the secondary level inmany countries. This is also the case inMalawi, partlybecause many girls marry or have children before the age of18, often before they are physically and emotionally readyto become wives and mothers. Educating girls, ending childmarriage, and preventing early childbearing are allessential to ensure that girls have agency, not only asfuture wives and mothers, but also as productive citizens ina wide range of roles. These are also enablers for countriesto achieve their full development potential, which requiresthe full participation of all citizens to the degree towhich they are capable. The failure to empower women toparticipate therefore represents a lost opportunity. ThisMEM documents trends in child marriage, early childbearingand girls’ low average levels of educational attainment,with an examination of their impacts on a wide range ofdevelopment outcomes. It includes estimations of theeconomic costs of child marriage and proposes a range ofpolicy options to improve opportunities for adolescent girls.
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