By Milcah Mathias
Blantyre, November 24, Mana: Malawi will on Monday, November 25 join the rest of the world in launching the national observance of 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (GBV) in Phalombe.
The campaign is conducted every year and this year’s theme is: ‘Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Malawi: Towards Beijing +30.’ The campaign will run from November 25 to December 10.
The First Lady, Madame Monica Chakwera is expected to grace the launch as the guest of honour at Mpasa Primary School ground in Phalombe District.
Executive Director for the Women’s Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC), an organisation that empowers women and fight against GBV, Maggie Kathewera Banda said 16 Days of Activism aim to remind the global world of the fact that there is GBV and that it continues to take place.
“A lot of efforts have to be put in place to ensure that we are preventing GBV. We want to ensure that as many people as possible get to understand the implications and consequences of GBV, but also understand the fact that violence against women is a major human rights violation and retrogressive,” said Banda.
Banda said WOLREC is undertaking various initiatives in the fight against GBV including campaigns such as Moyo Olemekezeka, Community Mobilization Approach, Survivor Support Fund, Informal and Formal Response Service Providers and External Engagement Influencing.
She added that the organisation is also working with the police in addressing issues of GBV.
“In Moyo Olemekezeka, we are working with target groups such as husband and wife in a family and influential relatives of the household who are involved and are trained in order to bring harmony into the home,” said Banda.
“The Survivor Support Fund is supposed to be used by the survivors seeking support and therefore we pay for their lodging and transport so that they can seek the services that they are looking for,” she added.
Banda, however, called on the public, the police, traditional leaders to hold hands in preventing GBV through their rightful roles and the judiciary to make sure the laws are working out, emphasising that it is government’s responsibility to protect women against GBV.
In close collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, the event will be graced by other dedicated organisations who are committed in the fight against GBV in the country.
The campaign was started by activists at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991. It is used as an organized strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
