By Chisomo Phiri
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) Executive Secretary, Habiba Osman, has urged urgent action to curb rising cases of gender-based violence against women and girls in the country.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Thursday, Osman highlighted that one in three girls in Malawi has experienced sexual violence, a statistic she described as deeply alarming and indicative of the need for immediate, coordinated interventions to safeguard the rights and dignity of women and girls.
She further appealed to development partners to strengthen capacity-building efforts that amplify the voices of women and girls especially those from marginalized communities.
According to Osman, empowering these voices is essential for advancing the ratification process of key human rights instruments.
On his part, Deputy Director in the Ministry of Gender,Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Ronald Phiri,encouraged stakeholders to support the implementation of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG).
He said the convention provides a critical framework for combating all forms of violence against women in Malawi.
Adopted in February 2025, the AU-CEVAWG is a comprehensive legal instrument designed to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls across the African continent.