Malawi kick starts campaign against gender based violence

Malawi on Tuesday joined the world community to kick-start 16 days of activism against gender based violence from 25 November to 10 December, APA has learnt here.

Speaking during a ceremony to start the campaign in Lilongwe, Deputy Minister of Women and Child Development Patricia Mwafulirwa said there was need for local communities to be sensitised on the consequences of gender based violence in relation to women’s rights in the country.

"People should be aware of the dangers of various forms of gender based violence against women and children by providing them with necessary information to stop these prevalent human rights violations," he said.

She said government was committed to reduce gender based violence in society by putting up strategies in place which include gender based violence related programmes and a gender based anti-violence law so that the perpetrators should be answerable to justice.

Mwafulirwa therefore called upon Malawians and NGO’s to assist in promoting and upholding women’s rights, thereby desisting from gender based violence in the country.

The annual campaign was set up by the United Nations for member states to consolidate their efforts and initiatives to prevent and eradicate gender based violence.