Malawi is not doing enough in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) when compared to other countries in southern African.
Deputy Director of Family Nutrition, HIV and Aids in the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare, Charles Mazinga, said this in Mangochi District on the sidelines of a two-day Intergeneration Dialogue Workshop on harmful cultural practices and youth vulnerability to GBV.
The meeting was conducted with funding from United Nations Women.
“While there is a consensus that we need to end violence against women and children, a lot of men in Malawi are still reluctant to play a key role in ensuring that women and children are living in a safe environment,” Mazinga said.
Mazinga said, by virtue of being the male champion, President Peter Mutharika alone cannot manage to end violence being faced by women and children in the country.
“As such, all of us should take part in the fight and find means of motivating men to champion the fight against GBV,” he said.
Among other interventions, Mazinga urged organisations working in the sector to create mechanisms that would increase the number of men taking part in GBV fight.
In her remarks, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi appealed to law enforcement agencies to act with speed whenever traditional leaders bring to their attention issues related to children and women who are being abused.
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