Youth Initiative for Community Development programmes manager Chinsisi Kalibwanji has urged women and girls with disabilities in Dedza District to take part in initiatives to fight gender-based violence (GBV).
Speaking on Tuesday at the end of a two-day training on GBV and referral pathways for women and girls in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachere in the district, she observed that GBV still occur in communities due to inadequate knowledge on how it affects individuals and the country’s development.
Said Kalibwanji: “People with disabilities experience various forms of GBV such as being deprived of mobility materials, communication devices and others. As an organisation, we say there is need to report these perpetrators.
“This is why we have trained girls and women with disabilities for them to be able to report GBV cases. Our expectation is that these people will help others in combating GBV in communities.”
One of the participants, Joyce Bandawe said the training was an eye-opener as she acquired knowledge on how to fight the vice.
“As people with disabilities, we experience various forms of abuse. Some undermine our abilities. Yet, we are capable of participating in various development initiatives,” she said.
Youth Initiative for Community Development conducted the training with support from Hlanganisa Community Fund under Breaking Barriers for Women and Girls with Disabilities in Combating GBV Project.
The organisation is running the project in group village heads Fosa, Kachere and Mkhoma Wanthu II in T/A Kachere in the district
