Mulanje senior resident magistrate Gloria Mwatiwamba says communities should understand laws and gender-related policies to enjoy their rights for sustainable development.
In her remarks on Wednesday at Mulanje District Council during a stakeholders meeting to simplify gender equality laws and policies under the Community Action for Gender Empowerment project implemented by Umunthu Plus, she said it was crucial to have the laws translated into Chichewa for the majority of people to understand them.
Said Mwatiwamba: “Our laws are in English and research shows that most Malawians do not read and understand this language. The translation and simplification of the laws into Chichewa is important in terms of promoting people’s rights and curbing gender-based violence.
“They will know the laws and avoid committing crimes as well as seek proper justice.”
She said the initiative will also bridge the gap between formal legal systems and community practices to enable gender equality to thrive in the district.
The district’s director of community and social services Samuel Ziba commended the organisation for complementing the council’s efforts to raise awareness of gender-related laws among the people.
“Knowledge is power. This initiative aligns with our goals of ensuring every citizen understands the laws better,” he said
Umunthu Plus district coordinator Samson Bwanali said they are committed to empowering communities with knowledge about the laws.
“This will promote justice, mental health, welfare and violence-free societies as people will know their rights and hold perpetrators to account,” he said.
