By Chilungamo Missi

Blantyre, Mana: Blantyre District Gender Officer, Agness Napwanga on Tuesday said high rate of early marriages in the district was fueling Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases.

Napwanga made the remarks during a whistle-stop which Blantyre district and its partners organised in commemoration of 16 days of Activism Against GBV under the theme ‘Unite! Activism to end Gender Based Violence in Malawi’.

She said Blantyre District Gender Office receives almost 17 GBV cases in a month and half of them are as a result of early marriages which lead to marriage breakups.

“Due to lack of maturity such marriages are not lasting long and when they breakup men are disappearing without providing child support. When such women remarry, their husbands are also ending up sexually abusing the stepchildren,” said Napwanga.

In her remarks, Councilor for Chilaweni ward, Carol Mdala who presided over the event said as local leaders they are embracing coordinated efforts to curb GBV in their areas.

“Previously, GBV cases were rampant in our areas, and they were not properly handled since people did not have enough information in terms of where to report such cases.

“From last year we have intensified awareness through community engagements with the clergy, teachers and traditional leaders and we have seen that there is an improvement,” said Mdala.

One of the organisers of the event, President for Young Women Christian Association of Malawi, Alice Bwanausi said the whistle-stop which covered Lunzu, Lirangwe, Mdeka, and Nkhalamba markets has created awareness against GBV to masses saying that they will not cease efforts to fully curb the vice.

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