Communities told to report GBV

Art and Global Health Centre Africa (Artglo) project assistant Effie Chikoko has urged community members in Traditional Authority Bvumbwe in Thyolo District to report gender-based violence (GBV) to authorities.

She said this on Friday when the organisation in partnership with Eastern Produce Malawi conducted an awareness campaign on GBV in group village head Tayale in the district.

Chikoko said hiding perpetrators will only fuel the vice; hence, the need to break the culture of silence.

She said: “We believe in involving communities to find factors that contribute to gender-based violence. We then find solutions together to help end the vice.

“In Thyolo, the project is being implemented at Mianga, Kasembereka and Masawa estates. 

Through drama performances, we expose some common forms of violence communities face while working in macadamia estates.”

Eastern Produce Malawi welfare and gender officer Esther Mughogho said they decided to support the initiative as they are looking to create a GBV-free community.

She said: “Our role is to create a society that is free from harm and a community which is aware of gender-based violence issues as well as a society which takes action on the vice.

“This is why we are working with the communities to find better solutions.”

While thanking the organisation for the initiative, group village head Tayale said high unemployment rate is the major factor fuelling the vice in her area.

She also urged her subjects, especially men, to report the vice, instead of suffering in silence.