By Staff Reporter
Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare and Community Development says effective reporting on gender-based violence (GBV) issues remains key to ending the vice.
Minister responsible Patricia Kaliati made the remarks in Dowa on Thursday during opening of the When the Saints (WtS) Safe Home.
Among others, the home aims at helping girls who have been sexually abused.
Kaliati said parents should protect their children from any harm and that shielding perpetrators will not help Malawi to fight GBV.
She said: “Our main concern remains when it comes to reporting issues of abuse. We need traditional leaders to be in the forefront of fighting the vice and that parents should be responsible for protecting their children.”
She applauded WtS for its commitment to ensuring that Malawian girls who were once abused live in a conducive environment where they are not discriminated against.
“The services at the centre must be able to rehabilitate and counsel the survivors adequately to enable them move forward with their normal life.
“I am optimistic that other organisations will emulate what When the Saints has done here in Dowa, and Malawi in general, because it is clear to me that we need more of these safe homes across Malawi,” said Kaliati.
Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre director Emma Kaliya, who is also WtS board member, said GBV continues to cause discomfort but there is hope of tackling it as people are now talking about GBV.
She said: “Dowa is one of the districts where cases of GBV are on the rise and that is why WtS decided to have the drop-in centre here.
“So far the home has helped about 135 girls and is currently harbouring 52 girls, with the youngest being three years old.”
In his remarks, WtS executive director David Peterka said with resources, the safe home will have both primary and secondary schools for the girls to continue attending school in a safe environment.
“The structure which has been launched was made possible with donations from well wishers and the community at large. There is a great working relationship between WtS and the community which we believe is going to continue and assist us progress as we help the girls,” he said.
Officially launching the centre, First Lady Monica Chakwera said one of the things the country needs to do away with are harmful cultural practices that destroy children instead of building them up.
She commended WtS for including men in its programmes of ending GBV, saying if men are taught how to respect women, issues of rape and other ills in society could decline.
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