By Damiano Thengo

Nkhotakota, August 23, Mana: The Malawi Peace and Unity Commission says the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Acceleration Fund phase 2 project, called Border Districts and Community-Based Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding is targeting the youth and women because of their vulnerability to conflicts in the district.

Speaking during a training session for officers in the district on Thursday, Commissioner for Malawi peace and Unity Commission, Bishop Mary Nkosi said, the project puts much effort into the youth knowing that young people are instrumental in bringing development projects and that they need to be oriented on the important strategies which bring peace and unity in their communities.

"The youth are future citizens of Malawi, they are very instrumental in bringing peace to their nation but can also be easily deceived especially during political campaign times, as they vandalize and bring confusion and violence, so we want to make sure that the youth are engaged in knowing their role in peace and building the economy of Malawi," said Inkosi.

Nkosi stressed that women have more responsibilities to shoulder in their families as such when conflicts erupt in the communities, women are mostly affected both psychologically and physically.

Malengachanzi Area Development Committee Vice Secretary, Juma Kaipa commended the Commission following the initiative and said peace and unity is a major pillar of development in any economy.

In his closing remarks, Traditional Authority Kalimanjira of Nkhotakota encouraged participants to fully utilize and apply the knowledge that they have acquired to conflict situations happening in their areas saying this will assist in bringing peace and unity in their real-life community situations.

Government is implementing the SDG Acceleration Fund phase 2 project targeting 1100 community members in Nkhotakota district with financial aid from the Irish government through UNDP.