Women Judges Association of Malawi (Wojam) has appealed to girls in the country to stand up against all forms of rights violation.
On Wednesday, Wojam dated students of Likuni Girls Secondary in Lilongwe where three members of the association engaged the students on their rights and knowledge of the law.
Magistrate Tawonga Muwalo talked at length on the ills of gender-based violence such as rape, defilement, economic and psychological torture some girls have to endure and suffer in silence on a daily basis.
She said it is time the girls stood up against such vices so that the perpetrators face the law.
“When you find yourself in such situations, you should stand up and report such cases to us, the police and other relevant authorities such as human rights organisations and chiefs in your areas. Do not suffer in silence because it is your future which is at stake,” Muwalo said.
She said the war against gender-based violence will be far from being won if such cases continue going unreported.
One of the students, Virginia Kagwada, said the meeting was fruitful.
“It is good that they came to this school. We have learnt a lot. We will use the knowledge in dealing with the problems we face in our lives,” Kagwada said.
Wojam Project Manager, Albert Phikani, said the association came into being after noticing gaps in the legal system whereby most people do not have knowledge of the law and their rights.
“As interpreters of the law, we thought it would be proper for us to go out there to sensitise the people so that they are aware of the laws. We came up with the schools programme to enable the girls to know some of the laws and rights as regards gender freedom at a tender age so that they are not exposed to social abuses,” he said.
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