Girl Guides urges girls to report sexual abuse

Malawi Girl Guides Association (Magga) chief commissioner Mary Ngwale has encouraged girls in Mulanje to report gender-based violence (GBV) to authorities in the district.

She made the call on Saturday when Magga joined the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which the First Lady Monica Chakwera officially launched on Thursday in Nkhata Bay.

Ngwale said GBV affects girls in their quest to attain their goals, especially education.

She said: “So, we want the girls to have a free space to concentrate on their education.

“To achieve this, the girls should report GBV cases they face in school or home.”

Mulanje District gender development officer Mafunga Jamu said they hold different activities such as drama performances to sensitise people to the dangers of GBV during the 16 Days of Activism.

He said: “As Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, our mandate is to empower women socioeconomically and promote gender equality and you cannot talk about women without mentioning girls.

“That is why we want girls to know about GBV while young so that they can be empowered to fight it.”

Jamu commended Magga for complementing government’s efforts to fight GBV in the district.

Mulanje Mission Community Day Secondary School student Isabel Chitimbe said she will use the 16 days to encourage her friends to report sexual abuse.

“The message from Magga has inspired me to work hard in class to achieve my goals,” she said.

On the day, girls from different secondary and primary schools in the district marched from the district council offices to Hapuwani Hotel carrying placards with GBV messages and singing songs against the vice.

Magga received a basket containing nine bulbs from their representative from Mulanje which will be passed on to nine districts before reaching Nkhata Bay on December 10.

The bulbs represent girls in the country who are striving to achieve their goals amid GBV.