By Luke Chimwaza
Catholic Sisters have expressed worry over the rise in cases of gender based violence in the country. According to their observation, gender based issues is now a talk of the day and slowly becoming a global pandemic. This was said during a three-day annual reflective learning workshop held at Nantipwiri Pastoral Centre, in Thyolo- Blantyre Archdiocese.
The Workshop which brought together 35 Sisters from different congregations across Malawi centred on issues of gender based violence which reports show is rampant in most communities where Sisters work.
Participants to the workshop were Catholic Sisters who are undergoing various tertiary courses at the Catholic University of Malawi under Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) program which is in a project called African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) under the Association of Women in Religious Institutes of Malawi (AWRIM)
ASEC’s Country Coordinator Sr Theresa Mulenga said the HESA project is a response to the increase in cases of gender based and Child abuse issues in different communities where Sisters are working.
“It appears gender based violence and child abuse is now ‘a global pandemic’ meaning that it is affecting people in all aspects of life that is why we gathered these sisters who are at the grassroots; in schools, hospitals and in other communities to be fully equipped with knowledge on these issue so that they can ably handle them better and liberate people from this ‘pandemic’ in their apostolate” She said.
Gender Development Officer in the ministry of Gender and Social Welfare Lirani Hannah Katutu based at Blantyre District Council who facilitated the training said issues of gender based violence need combined efforts to be effectively dealt with. She has called upon all other religious institutions to take play a role.
“We all know Catholic Christians are in majority in the country and their approach to evangelisation is holistic; Catholic Sisters are everywhere and working with different people of different ages, so i believe this training has targeted right people who have impact in communities to not only Catholics but people of all religions and faiths. May i appeal to all other church and religious groups to take part in the fight against gender related violence and child abuse” She said.
Commenting on the training, Sr. Marian Billiat of the Missionaries of Mary Mediatrics who is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and Midwifery at the Catholic University hailed HESA programme and described the training as timely and eye opener.
ASEC is running the project with funding from Hilton Foundation.