UN Women has hailed people at Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga for reducing Gender Based Violence (GBV) and withdrawing girls from child marriages.
UN Women Country Representative in Malawi, Letty Chiwara, expressed UN Women’s satisfaction on reduction of GBV during a monitoring tour of Tusinde (Let’s Change) project by WPHF which is funding the project through UN Women.
The project is being implemented at Traditional Authority Mposa in partnership by Partners in Action for Sustainable Development (PASD) in partnership with Devoted Youth Action for Change (DYAC).
The UN Women Resident Representative noted that there is an increase of GBV among women by 38 percent in some districts in the country but there was reduction of GBV in Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga courtesy of PASD and DYAC.
To effectively deal with GBV, she said there was need to know factors that lead to child marriage and Chiwara observed that people at Traditional Authority Mposa were dealing with drivers of child marriages.
“You should introduce a bursary that should take care of girls that are withdrawn from child marriages,” Chiwara urged traditional leaders and faith leaders at Mposa area.
Traditional Authority Mposa formulated and enforces by-laws that deal with GBV in his area.
To this effect, the UN Women Resident Representative commended Traditional Authority Mposa for being in the forefront in dealing with GBV which negatively affects women and girls’ well-being.
PASD executive Director, Amos Chiyenda, noted a decrease of GBV since the introduction of Tusinde at Traditional Authority Mposa’s area in Machinga where men understood women rights and the need to respect their rights.
“”We thank Traditional Authority Mposa and Mposa Police Unit plus other local leaders for contributing positively towards Tusinde Project’s efforts of dealing with GBV,” Chiyenda added.
Traditional Authority Mposa said there is reduction of GBV and child marriage since the introduction of Tusinde Project in his area in 202I.
He also commended PASD and DYAC for introducing the anti-GBV project in his area saying closer to 56 girls were withdrawn from child marriages since 2021.
Traditional Authority Mposa observed that people are open enough to report GBV such that 174 cases were reported to relevant authorities for further attention.
Chief Gender Development Officer, Fred Simwaka, from the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare and Ruth Harawa Sukasuka from District Gender Office in Machinga were part of the monitoring team that toured Tusinde Project which earned a lot of praise due to its impact.
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