Malawi's police wise up to violence against women
21 November 2008
Violence against women is a major problem in Malawi. Cultural norms which expect
women to suffer in silence mean that many cases of abuse go unrecorded. Worse,
those who do try to seek help often don't know where to begin to look.
A DFID-funded programme is working to change the situation. Dedicated units are
springing up in Malawi's police stations, staffed by officers specially trained
in dealing with victims of abuse. Public awareness-raising sessions are also being held,
encouraging ordinary men and women to rethink the attitudes that allow violence
to persist.
No turning back on victims
Chileka police station in Malawi's largest city, Blantyre, covers nine traditional authorities where, historically, rates of violence against women have been high.
But officers at the station haven't always treated the crime with the seriousness it warrants. Victims of wife-beating have grown used to being turned away and told to address their complaints to village chiefs or marriage counsellors instead. Police action has only been taken when bodily harm or murder have been the outcome.
However, thanks to the programme, officers now see that every instance of violence against a woman is a police matter. Victims are being handled with greater understanding and sensitivity, and through gender equality training conducted by Chileka staff, local people are realising that they too can do something to stop the crime.
Classes have been held in 34 villages so far. Health centre worker Tembo attended
one in his neighbourhood. "I used to
beat my wife," he admits, "but because of what I
learnt in the training, I stopped." Tembo now provides counselling to his
clients at the clinic - many of whom are women.
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Training that works
The impact of the programme is not limited to Blantyre. At Karonga police station in the north of the country, there has been a significant drop in reports of gender-related offences (from theft of property to wife-beating to the abandoning of children). The decline has coincided with the arrival of training sessions in the district.
Ngindekimo, who serves as the head of a Karonga village, is astonished by how effective the sessions have been. "I used to handle eight to ten gender-related cases in my court per month," he says. "Now I only handle two."
Changes in behaviour
Ngindekimo's councillor Nyirenda is one of those whose behaviour has changed.
In the past he felt it was his right to beat his wife, given that he paid "lobola",
or bride price, to secure her hand in marriage. "It was a normal way of life for
me and my family," he says. "It didn't matter that I was a person of influence
in the community. But following the training on gender equality I've changed my
ways."
Just over a year after the project began, 40 police officers and over 25,000
people in the district have received practical guidance on how to prevent violence
against women. A committee has also been set up to handle cases of
abuse, boasting 150 trained-up members.
In Karonga as in Blantyre, and elsewhere in Malawi, perceptions of an often devastating crime are changing - it is finally being seen as a serious offence, with its perpetrators liable to face appropriate penalties, and its victims deserving of justice.
Facts and stats
- A DFID-funded survey has shown that up to 25% of female victims of violence in Malawi think the abuse they suffer is legal.
- The Gender Equality Support Programme in Malawi began in March 2007.
- DFID has contributed £2.4 million to the Programme, which is being implemented by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Links
- How we fight poverty: Women's rights
- UK carries the torch for gender equality - 18 June 2008
- Gender Equality - at the heart of development
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CIDA website
