The Catholic Church of Malawi has stepped up in the fight against gender-based violence, emphasizing that ending abuse against women and girls is a shared responsibility that extends beyond the government and civil society to every individual and institution.
The Catholic Women’s Association (CWA) in collaboration with Telezia Sisters conducted a training on gender-based violence in Lilongwe where it emphasized the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) as a pivotal effort in empowering women to prevent abuse and support survivors.
Telezia Sisters’ Project Coordinator Sister Teleza Mlenga told Nthanda Times that the training was aimed to equip participants with knowledge and skills, highlighting the importance of collective action in addressing GBV and fostering change within their communities.
According to Sister Mlenga, there is a need to create spaces for women to reflect and learn about GBV issues collectively.
“It is important that women gather, talk, and learn about issues that affect them. We believe that these women will come out of this training well-equipped with knowledge on the prevention of gender-based violence and also in assisting victims,” Sister Mlenga said.
Father Damiano Precious Chitha of Lukuni Parish Archdiocese of Lilongwe said the church is committed to effectively play its role in the fight against the GBV.
“The church finds itself among people, and we take a human being as both spirit and body. If we focus only on the spirit part, then we are making a mistake because these issues of gender-based violence affect people both physically and psychologically, and if that happens, they can’t effectively participate in the developmental activities of the church and community,” said Father Chitha.
Speaking after the training, Olivia Gausi, a participant from Dedza Diocese, described the training as timely as the country has joined the globe in commemorating the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
Gausi emphasized that the training has helped her to be an advocate for ending GBV.
“It is very important for me as a woman to participate in such training because then it will be easy for me to avoid it and help my fellow women who are affected by gender-based violence. Now, I will be coming out of this training as an advocate,” she said.
A report by UNFPA indicates that nearly one-third of women in Malawi have experienced physical violence, while emotional and sexual violence also remains widespread.
World Bank Gender Data Portal, estimates one in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, often by an intimate partner.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is commemorated from November 25 to December 10 every year, and this year, the days are being commemorated under the theme: Unite! End Violence Against Women and Girls.
About the Author
Martin Mbewe is a journalist and Development Communications Specialist. He is a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) RLC-SA alumnus and currently works as a Communications and Programmes Coordinator at Tingathe Malawi. With experience in development communication and writing stories for print, radio, TV, and online media, Martin is passionate about change and writing on topical issues concerning Malawians and beyond. Previously, he worked as a current affairs reporter at the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and held communication roles with Cure International and the Ministry of Agriculture's Communications Branch. Martin believes in the power of effective communication to drive positive change and improve the lives of individuals and communities, especially those facing social and economic challenges.