Shaping Our Future Foundation programmmes manager Lomathinda Mtema says traditional leaders are critical in ensuring that girls and women are protected from gender-based violence (GBV).

She said this on Wednesday during a sensitisation meeting on GBV with traditional leaders and community members at Manyenyezi Primary School in Traditional Authority Kampingo Sibande in Mzimba District.

Mtema said: “Chiefs are the custodians of culture and law at a local level. Therefore, empowering them as agents of change to fight GBV can help to end the malpractice.

Mtema: Chiefs are custodians of culture

“As a foundation, we are concerned with rising cases of early marriages, defilement and harassment towards elderly women in Mzimba District.”

M’Mbelwa District Council social welfare officer Prisca Zimba appealed to stakeholders, including traditional leaders, to work together to fight GBV in the district.

“Records at the office indicate that we registered 320 child marriages between January and October this year and 210 defilement cases during the same period,” she said.

Kampingo Sibande, who attended the meeting, said chiefs are committed to fight GBV.

“We will formulate by-laws to protect girls, women and elderly people in communities,” he said.

Shaping Our Future Foundation is an organisation founded by First Lady Monica Chakwera.

It is implementing GBV awareness campaigns in partnership with ActionAid Malawi with funds from the Spotlight Initiative.

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