Source: Malawi24
Girls Empowerment Network (GENET) officials say lack of human rights knowledge among women and girls is the major obstacle in fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country.

Project Coordinator for Girls Empowerment Network, Haward Mlozi told Malawi24 that research has shown that there are gaps in knowledge of Human Rights and legal instruments among women and girls which piloting to gender based violence.

Mlozi added that culturally people believe that women have no power in terms of decision making a development which sometimes women accept since they don't recognize their rights and where to get help once their rights desecrated.

He however, said there is need of human rights awareness campaigns to empower girls and women to stand up when face such violence.

"This is huge problem in Malawi but we can't quantify its actual statistics since these gender based violence like defilements are done privately.

"We have been conducting interface meetings in many districts the country and through these meetings, we came across that women and girls are oppressed because they are not aware of their rights.

"For example, it was learnt at one of our meetings in Mulanje that some officials at Mulanje hospital had lost trust in the police on issues of Gender Based Violence because some of them were on the forefront perpetrating violence in their respective homes.

"The revelations came when one of the Community Police Officers alleged that some health personnel encounter and treat gender related cases without informing the police to probe more", explained Mlozi.

As a way of helping in eradicating the problem, other stakeholder like National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) committed themselves to intensify awareness campaigns.

GENET (Malawi) is a local young women's rights organization and a grassroots movement of girls and young women that works to support and improve the well being of vulnerable and marginalized girls in Malawi.

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