BY DRAXON MALOYA
(News of The South)- Continued harmful cultural practices are still fueling an increase Gender Based Violence cases in many parts of Rumphi District, a baseline survey has established.
One of the harmful cultural practice is that of banishing from the community for two to three months women who have given birth to twins.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines during the Rumphi District 2021 commencement of 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence, Executive Director for Centre for Civil Society Strengthening, Viwemi Chavula described the practice as inhumane and total violation of basic fundamental principles of human rights.
Chavula stressed that it is against this background that his organization and the God Cares Rights Foundation in partnership with some United Nations Agencies are implementing a number of projects in the district to empower women and girls with knowledge and skills calling for the prevention and elimination of violence against them at all levels in society.
“Here at Mphompha when women give birth to twins they are banished from the community, sent into the bush for a month or two, while girls going through menstrual cycles are not allowed to be seen in public. But now all survivours of all forms of GBV are provided economic survival opportunities like tailoring and commercial farming,” Chavula said.
He further stated that the project is also equipping Village and Area Development Committees (ADC/VDC), and all village community police structures on issues of human rights which is the basic need to deal away with Gender Based Violence.
Concurring with Chavula the Executive Director for God Cares Rights Foundation, Reverend Agnes Tokatoka Mughogho said the baseline survey her organisation conducted jointly with CCSS established that chiefs were still accommodating some harmful cultural practices apart from women being captured into economic slavery by some polygamous husbands.
The CCSS and God Cares Rights Foundation project has also managed to withdraw from marriage a 43 year old Gertrude Chavula who was injured with a knife on her private parts by her husband who was immediately arrested and is now on remand waiting for trial.
Crowning it all during the launch of this year’s Rumphi District commemoration of 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence behalf of the UN Women Country Representative, Oninda Da Barca Vieira said the campaign deliberately kicks off on 25th November and it runs to December 10th which is the World Human Rights Day.
“The 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is an international campaign that kicks off on 25th November and runs until 10th December, Human Rights Day every year.
GBV Victim, Gertrude Chavula
“Action Coalition on GBV are building a powerful global movement based on multilateraism and are mobilizing governments, CSOs, International Organizations, philanthropies and private sectors to deliver transformational progress towards elimination and prevention of GBV through concrete action,” Vieira stressed.
The global theme for this year’s 16 Days of activism against Gender Based Violence which runs from 25th November to 10th December 2021 is “Orange the world: End violence against women now!” while the local theme is “Orange Malawi, End Violence Against Women and Girls, Act Now”.
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