Alhough government and other stakeholders are trying their level best to reduce cases of violence against women and girls the malpractice shows no sign of abetting.
Cases of gender based violence and girls being defiled, raped and denying them their rights like the right to education and fully growth are still being reported in different parts of the country on daily basis.
Meanwhile government has attributed this to low education factor according to Peter Msefula who is the Director of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Child Welfare and Disability Affairs.
He said as a country we have not moved much in providing education and training for the population hence the reason for high cases of violence against women and girls.
“Government is moving forward in putting relevant legal framework so as to make sure that we align our legal and policy framework to issues relating to gender,” he said.
Special Advisor to the president for Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) has since said that government is trying its best on issues relating to gender saying that one of it is the ascending into law the marriage bill by the president.
Council for Non Governmental Organizations in Malawi (CONGOMA) Chairperson Mc Bain Mkandawire said that although government is showing its commitment on issues relating to gender but the reality on the ground remains a challenge.
He said the country’s report on Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) shows that Malawi has failed on issues relating to gender.
Mkandawire cited issues like the girl drop out in schools which is still on alarming rate adding that Malawi is still rated high on countries that have high numbers of child marriage.
The reasons are complex ranging from economic, social culture and political horizons.
The country must begin to invest and think critically on what resources can be put on issues of gender and men have to be partners as people have a perception that when they hear about gender they think that it is for women only.
We must be reminded of the fact that for the nation to develop the status women has to be improved because we seem not investing much in practical solutions.
