What does liberty look like when no one hears your voice?
For some, liberty is the right to protest. For others, it is the freedom to own property, run a business, or speak truth to power. But for many girls in Malawi, liberty is far simpler and more difficult; the ability to say no.
The freedom to say yes or no, the freedom to choose, and the freedom to live without force or coercion.
No to a marriage they did not choose.
No to a life designed for them, not by them.
No to silence.
And in a society where obedience is praised more than choice, saying no becomes a revolutionary act.
Tradition or Coercion?
In many parts of Malawi, early marriage is not seen as oppression. It is seen as culture. It is celebrated with songs, gifts, and rituals. But what is rarely discussed is the fear in a fourteen-year-old girl’s heart when her future is sealed before she understands her own worth. Often, she has no voice in the matter. Decisions are made for her. Consent is assumed. And liberty, if it ever existed, disappears quietly.
This is not just a women’s issue or a rural issue. It is a fundamental issue of liberty.
Because liberty is not only about what laws allow. It is about whether people have the real power to make choices for themselves, free from force, pressure, or manipulation.
The Invisible Chains
I remember sitting in a youth forum, where I had been invited to speak about community engagement. During a break, a girl came up to me; soft-spoken, polite, and clearly nervous. She told me that she had heard I was in school, that I had travelled to different districts, and that I spoke freely. Then she asked me a question I will never forget.
“How did you say no?”
At first, I did not understand what she meant. But then she told me: her family wanted her to marry a man she did not love. He was older, wealthy, and respected. Her refusal was being taken as rebellion. She was called proud. Unruly. Disobedient. And she wanted to know how I had avoided becoming a “problem.”
That question broke something in me. Because in her voice, I heard a question that too many girls carry quietly: is freedom worth being shamed for?
Liberty Starts with Choice
In freedom circles, we speak often about markets, governance, and rights. But at the core of liberty lies one word: choice. The freedom to think, to speak, to walk away, to disagree. In communities like mine, those freedoms are often limited, not by government policies, but by tradition, gender roles, and unspoken rules.
A girl should not have to be brave to own her life. But in places where saying no is seen as disrespect, courage becomes a currency for the free.
This is why liberty is not foreign to Africa. It is necessary. It is not rebellion. It is restoration; of dignity, of voice, and of personal agency.
Silence as a System
You might wonder, why do people not speak up? Why do they follow harmful traditions? The truth is, silence is not just a habit. It is a system. It is passed from parent to child, reinforced by fear and enforced by shame. Those who speak out are mocked. Those who resist are punished. And those who dream differently are often left alone.
But silence can be broken. One voice at a time.
And that is where the work of liberty begins.
The Role of Youth
As a Local Coordinator with Students For Liberty, I have seen what happens when young people are introduced to the ideas of voluntary action, peaceful resistance, and personal empowerment. They begin to question things they were told were normal. They begin to speak. And slowly, they begin to lead.
In community outreach sessions, I have met boys who now believe that girls deserve equal say. I have met girls who started clubs to challenge early marriages. I have seen parents who once supported child marriage start encouraging education instead.
This is what liberty does. It shifts minds, and with them, it shifts futures.
A Liberty that Fits Us
Liberty must never be imposed like a coat from abroad. It must grow from the inside. It must be relevant, practical, and rooted in the real struggles people face. In Malawi, liberty is not about slogans. It is about being allowed to choose your path without punishment. It is about walking into a room and knowing that your opinion matters. It is about saying no and not being punished for it.
It is not enough to talk about freedom in theory. We must build a freedom that fits our context; one that speaks the language of our people and answers the questions they are actually asking.
The Uncomfortable Truth
There are still many places in Malawi where saying no can cost a girl everything. Her reputation. Her support system. Her safety. And yet, she must say it.
Because liberty, in its rawest form, is not easy. It does not come with approval. It often begins with pain. But it also begins with truth.
The girl who came to me at that youth forum still sends me messages. She did not get married. She chose school instead. But not all stories end this way. Many are still trapped. Many are still quiet.
So the question is not, “Do we believe in liberty?”
The question is, “Are we ready to face what it demands from us?“
Because sometimes, liberty does not knock.
Sometimes, it whispers.
Sometimes, it cries.
And sometimes, it asks us to walk away from everything we know, simply to find ourselves.
This piece solely expresses the opinion of the author and not necessarily the magazine as a whole. SpeakFreely is committed to facilitating a broad dialogue for liberty, representing a variety of opinions. Support freedom and independent journalism by donating today.
