Authorities in Balaka have singled out continued culture of silence among victims of various forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) as a major setback towards the fight against the vice.
Principal gender officer for Balaka District Council, Rita Sukasuka, made the observations on Thursday during the launch of 16-days of activism against the vice held at Mangombo Primary School Ground in the district.
Sukasuka disclosed that despite the progress made so far in sensitizing the communities to speak out when victimised, men continue to remain silent, a development which is leading to suicide cases.
She said: ”In most cases, men continue to be victims of Gender Based Violence in the district simply because they don’t want to share or report their problems to relevant authorities for assistance. In return, this costs their lives.”
She therefore appealed to people especially men to develop a spirit of sharing their problems whenever they face challenges.
In his remarks, chairperson of Balaka District Council, Pharaoh Kambiri who presided over the event, encouraged people to report GBV cases to various structures at local level such as, the community police, village development committees (VDCs).
Meanwhile, Balaka Police has stepped up efforts aimed at curbing any GBV cases in the district.
According to the station’s Officer in-Charge, Dan Sauten, Christmas time is over for GBV perpetrators in the district as they have now tightened mechanism aimed at addressing the vice including improving working relationship with various community policing structures.
The event was commemorated under the theme ‘Unite activism to end gender-based violence in Malawi.’
The event was made possible with financial support from Oxfam, Eagles Relief, Find Your Feet, Chinansi Foundation, Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD), Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment (FOCESE), Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children (CAVWOC) and Youth net and counselling (YONECO) in partnership with Balaka District Council.
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