LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- The Vice President of Malawi Dr. Saulosi Chilima, this week said government will continue to establish mechanisms in all sectors to ensure that legal and strategic frameworks on gender-based violence related laws are effectively implemented.
Chilima said this in Lilongwe on Tuesday during the launch of the end violence against women and girls campaignbthat was organised by Oxfam Malawi in Lilongwe.
He said government is committed to increase access to justice, and ensure availability and accessibility of services such as mobile courts, and one stop centres in health facilities for quality services in the mitigation of violence.
Chilima observed that there is need to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls that includes trafficking, sexual abuse and other types of exploitation.
“The prevalence rate of violence against women and girls in Malawi is very high; a development which is very worrisome, hence the need to stop the malpractice,” Chilima said.
The VP revealed that recent statistics show that 42 percent of women in Malawi have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, and that one in every two girls, is married before the age of 18.
Chilima appealed to all Malawians to desist from getting involved in the evil malpractices and encourage women economic empowerment in all sectors.
He commended civil society organisations like Oxfam, in supporting government efforts in ending violence and accomplishing development goals.
Speaking earlier Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Dr. Jean Kalirani, said government has enhanced capacity building for the police to handle reported cases of GBV professionally, with the provision of victim support unit to bring the issues on the spotlight.
Kalirani noted that the 2013 survey in GBV, estimated that girls aged 13 to 24 years experienced physical and emotional violence before the age of 18, with very few reported cases.
She assured Malawians that government, in collaboration with nongovernmental organisations, traditional leaders, faith community and media, are working in collaboration to ensure that harmful cultural practices, which greatly contribute to GBV, are completely eliminated in all forms.
In his remarks Oxfam Country Director for Malawi, John Makina, called for all people to report perpetrators of GBV who go unpunished, and to support the campaign of ending violence against women and girls.
Makina said his organisation is launching the campaign to respond to increasing incidences of violence against women and girls, which are alarmingly recorded everyday globally and in Malawi.