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Malawi President Announces Strict Measures Against Perpetrators of
Gender-Based Violence

Lameck Masina

   BLANTYRE, MALAWI - Malawi's President LazarusChakwerahas announced
   plans for stiffer penalties against those who commit gender-based
   violence, after a jump in cases during the pandemic. In a national
   address for Human Rights Dayon December 10,Chakwerasaid Malawi would
   also require the teaching of human rights in schools.
   PresidentChakwerasaid figures fromtheNational Statistics Office on
   gender-based violence are worrying.

   "Three years ago, the National Statistics Office reported that one in
   three Malawian women and girls between the age of 15 and 49 experiences
   physical or sexual violence. To make matters worse, cases of these
   crimes have since been going up. And in the last three months of this
   year alone, the rate has been 35 percent higher than the same period
   last year," he said.

   Chakwerasaid the trendshowsthat under the restrictions on movementput
   in place to fightCOVID-19,gender-based crimes have been widespread.

   He announced plans for stiffer penalties against those who commit
   gender-based violence.

   "Ministries of Justice and Gender and my administration will prepare
   amendment to relevant pieces of legislation including the Criminal
   Procedure and Evidence code to fast track the disposal of such cases,to
   exert stiffer mandatory penalties against culprits and to establish a
   sex offenders register," he announced.

   Chakweraalso said Malawi would require the teaching of human rights in
   schools.

   For the past two months,rights campaigners have been holdingaseries
   ofprotests againstcontinued cases ofrapeand sexual abuse of girls and
   women.

   During protests in November, Women Doctors Association in Malawi and
   other rights activistsgave PresidentChakwera90 days
   topresentmeasurestohelp end the sexual abuse.

   New cases of rape and sexual abuseagainst women and girlsare reported
   in Malawi nearly every week.

   On Thursday local mediareportedthat police inthe southernMangochi
   district have arrested a 33-year-old man forraping three sisters aged
   between 12 and 14. One of them is now pregnant.

   MaggieKathewera-Banda, executive director for Women's Manifesto
   Movement, says a big problem is that current laws are not enforced.

   "I think we are not addressing the real issues,because if you look at
   rape what is the maximum sentence? They are saying you can even go up
   to death sentence. Because for me, I think in Malawi it's more about
   implementation of our laws rather than the laws themselves," she said.
   "Over the years we tried to come up with genderlawsbut you find that
   they have not been implemented."

   ImmaculateMaluza, president for Women Lawyers Association in Malawi,
   saysattitudes toward gender-basedviolence must change.

   "And also deal with toxic traits in our culture that promote violence
   against women to reflect theperiodthat were in now," she told VOA.

   Maluzasays steps should be taken tocriminalize harmful cultural
   practices thattolerate violence against women.

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