By George Mponda

Karonga, November 30, Mana: Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire says civic education and awareness raising are crucial for breaking the cycle of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

The Minister said this Friday in Karonga at Hara Primary School during the district launch of 2024, 16 days of activism against GBV.

"Transforming harmful social norms is central to this effort. In schools, families, and communities, we must work together to build a culture of respect, equality and peace.

"This campaign will emphasize zero tolerance for violence across all areas of society as we will all be committed to upholding this standard," Mkandawire said.

Mkandawire added that GBV survivors deserve a system that empowers them to seek justice while supporting their recovery.

"Our work must prioritize their safety, dignity, and rights by amplifying their voices, breaking down the barriers they face, and ensuring they have access to justice, health services, and economic opportunities," Mkandawire said.

On her part, District Gender Officer for Karonga District Council Ireen Mwenelupembe said the district is not doing well in combating GBV.

"As of today, we have 957 GBV cases recorded in our database and when we compare Traditional Authorities, Kyungu tops the list followed by Wasambo then Kilupula and Mwakaboko.

"There are a lot of economic violence cases happening in families, child marriages and negative cultural practices, especially in hard-to-reach areas like Fulirwa," Mwenelupembe said.

"There is a need to unite and end violence happening towards men and women by providing gender-sensitive policing, establishing safe reporting mechanisms, and improving access to legal support," she added.

The campaign which started with a parade by female security officers from Malawi Police Service, Prison and Malawi Defence Force has been launched under the theme; "Unite to end violence against women and girls in Karonga."