The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA)-Malawi has implored journalists in the country to report more on gender based violence that mainly involve girls and women in times of disasters.
The organization has made the plea after noting a rise in the vice during disasters that have been affecting the country in the last few years.
UNFPA-Malawi Gender and gender based violence specialist Beatrice Kumwenda has told the media in Mzuzu that time has come for the media to bring to light issues that affect women and girls in times of disasters such as rape and defilement, just to mention a few.
Kumwenda made the remarks Wednesday in Mzuzu on the sidelines of a three-day capacity building training targeting members of Nyika media club and the Association of Women in Media (AWOME).
“We always cherish the relationship we have with the media and that’s why we want media practitioners to help us disseminate information about gender based violence that mainly occur during disasters,” Kumwenda said.
The UNFPA-MALAWI has since challenged media practitioners to be agents for change.
“We would love if our media start reporting victim centred stories,” said Kumwenda.
And speaking on behalf of the AWOME’s vice general secretary Towera Katswiri commended UNFPA-MALAWI for organizing the training.
“We will now be able to start writing victim centred stories because we have been trained properly,” said Katswiri.
The training brought together selected media practitioners from the northern region of the country.
