Mangochi, May 29, Mana: Stakeholders in Mangochi have expressed concern over increased cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in the district, saying are resulting into unwanted pregnancies.

Speaking Saturday during an interface meeting on sexual reproductive health rights organised by Go Fund a Girl Child, Victim Support Unit Officer for Mangochi Police Station, Inspector Maggie Karroti said for the past four months her office has recorded an increase in number of cases such as un-procedural divorce, rape, as well as defilement.

Karroti said the development is hindering rights of many young girls in the district, including their right to good health.

“From January to April this year my office has recorded a total of 261 cases of GBV, of which most cases were rape and defilement. This is against 198 cases that were recorded during the same period last year. This, indicates that as a district we are not doing fine, on protection of women and girls,” said Karroti.

Coordinator for Post Abortion Care for Mangochi District Council, Mathews Ntemang’ombe, said the development is resulting into many young girls in the district having early pregnancies.

Ntemang’ombe said last year alone Mangochi registered 15,343 cases of early pregnancies.

He added that his office assisted 1,058 patients who had terminated their pregnancies.

“Out of these cases, those who were of ages between 10 to 19 were around 280, and we lost three due to complications resulting from abortions,” said Ntemang’ombe.

In her remarks, Programmes Officer for Go Fund a Child, Hawa Shabir said the organisation is, currently, advocating for access to sexual reproductive health rights, including the right to safe abortion, in order to ensure that girls in Mangochi are living in safe environment.

“As an organisation, the development has led us to start advocating for access to sexual reproductive health rights for youths.

“We want to want to see that youths in the country are able to access safe abortion, as the current laws have restrictions over the same,” said Shabir.

The interface meeting attracted youths, faith and traditional leaders in Mangochi.

Mana/bw/mmm/pk