In a bid to eliminate Gender Based Violence in the country, the Malawi-Irish Consortium on gender based violence has on Tuesday launched an advocacy strategy at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe with a call to the media to fight for womens rights, gender equality and contribute in ending gender based violence.
The policy is sitting on five key advocacy areas which are empowering duty bearers on different forms of violence, male engagement in gender based violence and gender equality, Women’s leadership and voice, gender based violence legal, policy framework and research as well as access to justice, service delivery, capacity, and response for gender based violence survivors.
Speaking at the launch of the policy, Minister of gender, community development and social welfare Jean Sendeza said the policy is in line with government’s efforts to end gender based violence in the country.
Sendeza said the media has an integral part to play as a stakeholder in the achievement of the objectives of the policy.
“The launch that we have had today is a way of having a well coordinated action against gender based violence. However there are some gaps that have been identified and this conference will help to achieve and fill gaps that are there in fighting the vice. Of late the issues of gender based violence have been on the increase due to several factors, one being lack of knowledge on the laws surrounding issues to do with gender based violence”, she said.
Malawi-Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence Chairperson Lucy Mwangi echoed the sentiments by the minister by saying they see the media as a key stakeholder in the fight against gender based violence.
Mwangi said the Consortium is working hand in hand with the Media Council of Malawi and they are interested to continue having a cordial relationship that will in return help to emd gender based violence.
“We value the media as a key stakeholder in our Advocacy Policy which seeks to fight gender based violence. We dont see the media just as people that report issues but rather as partners who we will work together with us in raising awareness in the communities on gender based related laws. We want to see a media that is vibrant on reporting issues in an ethical way”, said Mwangi.
The Malawi-Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence was formed in 2014 as a way of trying to bring together efforts in the fight against gender based violence. The launched Advocacy Policy is expected to run for three years.
