By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, March 29, Mana: In an effort to strengthen advocacy for the prevention of Intimate Partner Violence, the Pamodzi Kuthetsa Nkhanza consortium has organized a two-day engagement programme with the NGO-Gender Coordination Network (NGO-GCN).

The consortium, comprising the Women’s Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC), Girls Empowerment Network (GENET), and Human Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities (WAG), is discussing key strategies to enhance the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Speaking on Friday at Mountain View Lodge in Dedza, Caroline Mvalo, NGO-GCN chairperson for the Gender-Related Laws Permanent Committee, emphasized the need to review the 2006 Domestic Violence Act to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to current challenges.

“Essentially, we are looking at the advocacy part of it. This act provides for tenancy order, protection order as well as occupation order which go along in protecting women and men, boys and girls from Gender Based Violence (GBV),” she said.

According to Mvalo, participants are being taken through key gender-related laws in Malawi to strengthen their understanding of legal frameworks that protect women and girls.

She further said in terms of advocacy, they noted some gaps within the law and their convergence was to see how best together they would advocate for the review and also implementation of the provisions in the Act.

WAG Executive Director Stella Nkhonya expressed concern over the rising cases of Intimate Partner Violence in Malawi.

"It is disheartening to see so many cases of violence occurring within relationships," she said.

The advocacy meeting is supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.