WS Fellow Amal Clooney was in Malawi last week as part of the joint effort between the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ], The Obama Foundation and the Gates Foundation to end child marriage within a generation.

Joined by former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama and Melinda French Gates at the Ludzi Girls secondary school in the country’s central region, the three women listened intently to the stories of some of the schoolgirls. With 42% of girls married before the age of 18 the rate of child marriage in the country is one of the highest in Southern and Eastern Africa.  Despite Malawi actually having a law to prevent these marriages, there are very few prosecutions. “Waging Justice For Women”, the CFJ’s latest initiative, is funding the Women Lawyers Association of Malawi. As part of their work these lawyers provide aid clinics and free legal advice in some of the country’s most remote places, often miles from the nearest power supply or roads. Amal Clooney participated in one of the first clinics which was attended by over 800 women, where she said “It is a privilege to be working alongside so many inspirational women in the fight to make child marriage history. Child marriage persists because there are inadequate legal protections for millions of girls across Africa”.

Describing the friendship and collaboration between herself, French Gates and Obama. Clooney told the BBC “It’s been a really lovely and very organic partnership”. At the Ludzi Girls school the three heard from Lucy, now aged 26, who avoided her father’s attempt to take her out of school aged 14, and instead became the first girl in her village to graduate from university. Today aided by her degree in education she works for an organisation providing scholarships to vulnerable Malawi girls. Lucy recounted that her father finds it difficult to have an independent daughter and Michelle Obama said “Next time you see him tell him Michelle and Barack Obama are so proud of you, and the woman you have become”, whilst Clooney added, “And tell him you have a lawyer too now”.

As well as in Malawi, the CFJ supports legal aid clinics in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and continues to grow the model to increase access to justice for women and girls across Africa.