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DHO commends police for reducing GBV

 

Mchinji district health officer (DHO) Dr. Juliana Kanyengambeta has commended police in the district for contributing towards reducing gender-based violence (GBV).

Speaking on Friday at a function to mark the end of the Mchinji District Police Women Network operation under the theme ‘Together We Can Reduce Gender-based Violence Cases’ the DHO said the report has shown that in 2017 the district registered 162 cases compared to 362 cases recorded last year.

Show of force: Police officers march to mark the end of the anti-GBV operation

“The police women network in the district is doing a commendable job in as far as gender-based violence reduction is concerned. They have also sensitised communities to the evils of early marriages. Besides that, the women have recovered four solar panels worth K1.5 million which were stolen in the district,” she said.

Kanyengambeta asked the gathering to report GBV to police rather than negotiating at local level.

Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Central Region, Maxmas Bakali, said GBV cases, like defilement, rape, human trafficking and forced and early marriages, are affecting the country’s development.

“I urge women and girls to report any gender-based violence. You should not suffer in silence but bring those issues to us so that the perpetrators can be arrested and face the rule of law,” he said.

Group village head Menyani from Traditional Authority Mlonyeni thanked the Mchinji Police Women Network for the function which sensitised communities to further reduce GBV cases.

The police women network operation, which ran from November 22 to 24, is part of the worldwide 16 Days of Activism Against GBV and it has led to the arrest of three suspects who were at large after allegedly committing different serious offences. n

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