By Maria Tembo

Ntchisi, December 7, Mana: Ntchisi Gender office says ignorance and poverty are major contributing factors to increasing cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the district.

Gender Development officer in the district Chikondi Macheso said this on Wednesday at Chikho 2 primary school ground in Sub Traditional Authority Kasakula during launch of this year's 16 day of activism against gender based violence.

She said it is worrisome that such cases continue to rise in the district despite different interventions being implemented.

“This year alone 3309 cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) have been registered in the district and not more than 2000 cases were registered last year,” explained Macheso.

Present at the event was Council Chairperson for the district Arnold Kapolo who said the council will continue to sensitive people on GBV to reduce such cases, adding that this year the cases were high compared to last year and that perpetrators will face the law.

Kapolo then appealed to chiefs in the district to be on the fore front in sensitising their subjects about GBV and to continue reporting perpetrators of such cases to relevant authorities if they are to win and reduce GBV cases in the district.

“It is sad that women and girls continue to face GBV be it at home and school as such, we would like to encourage them to report any form of such cases to relevant authorities for perpetrators to face the law and for the district to register zero GBV cases,” said Kapolo.

Sub T/A Kasakula whose area has registered more cases of GBV said he will put in place measures that will help in reducing such cases in the area and the district at large.

The Ntchisi Gender office also awarded traditional leaders and social workers whose areas managed to reduce GBV cases in the district.

This year’s commemoration is under the theme: " Invest to End Gender Based Violence in Malawi".