Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati has warned perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) that they will face the law if caught.

She issued the warning in Nsanje District on Thursday when she appreciated GBV interventions implemented by Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Wolrec) and Oxfam in Malawi.

Kaliati also bemoaned the presence of underage girls in social places.

Kaliati speaks during the function

“We will start arresting people who employ children to work in social places,” she said.

Kaliati, however, commended Wolrec for supporting women with capital to start small businesses.

“The start-up capital Wolrec is providing is helping women not to rely on men for their needs. This is commendable because poverty is another cause of GBV,” she said.

Wolrec executive director Maggie Kathewera Banda said they formed groups of women and men as well as faith and traditional leaders to discuss how they can eliminate GBV in the district.  

“Within the groups, they discuss harmful cultural practices that fuel GBV and promote the rights of women,” she said.

Banda said through awareness campaigns, many women and girls were reporting GBV to authorities.

Oxfam in Malawi country director Lingalireni Mihowa thanked chiefs, religious leaders and government institutions for working together to fight GBV.

“While the project has empowered women economically, we need to do a lot to eliminate the vice, including engaging donors to continue funding the project,” she said.

On her part, UN Women country representative Letty Chiwara, whose organisation is funding the project, said there was need for collaboration to eliminate GBV in the district.

“GBV is like a pandemic, which needs urgency and collaboration from stakeholders to address it,” she said.

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