By Mary Makhiringa

Balak, December 5, Mana: Balaka District Gender Officer, Scolastica Datchi on Thursday called for concerted efforts from all sectors in the fight against gender based violence as the district joined the world and other districts in Malawi in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

Datchi said her office alone is working day in and day out to eliminate the vice but was quick to plead with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as other government sectors to always support as the cases keep on increasing every day.

She added that the cases were increasing because of the belief that men are always superior to women and called women to avoid looking down upon themselves as inferiors.

 “Let me thank all our partners who are always there for us, without them this noble task could have been a night mare, we are currently facing serious challenges as an office, so having partners has always been relieving.

“Let me call upon to other stakeholders to come forward as well to assist as the cases of GBV keep rising especially with the fact that our district is facing serious food shortages which fuel various forms of abuse,” she added.

The District Gender Officer also mentioned that the government is collaborating with various stakeholders to raise awareness about how communities can report GBV issues to the relevant authorities.

Balaka District Hospital Senior Medical Officer Dr. Tiya Malungo, who was the guest of honor during the event emphasized that addressing GBV requires collective efforts and called upon all community members to be vigilant in reporting GBV cases when they occur.

“This is not a one-person effort; we need to collaborate with different stakeholders to find better ways to end this malpractice,” she said.

Phalula Police Unit Officer-in-Charge, Patrick Khuoge, revealed that the number of reported GBV cases has increased compared to previous years. He attributed this rise to greater community awareness and knowledge about where to report such incidents.

“As police, we have been collaborating with schools, churches, mosques, and other community leaders to raise awareness about gender-based violence and how to report it. So far, we have seen an improvement in the number of GBV cases being reported,” he said.

On November 25, the First Lady of the Republic of Malawi Monica Chakwera launched the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence in Phalombe District under the theme; Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls: Towards Beijing +30.