Mulanje District Council has hailed Youth Net and Counseling (YONECO) for its interventions in ending gender based violence saying the cases are decreasing in the district because more people are now knowledgeable about the issues.

The Council’s Chairperson, Councilor Charles Kapata, said this in Mulanje during Human Rights Day commemoration which also marked the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence campaign.

Katepa said the awareness campaigns have enlightened the citizenry on the forms of violence and how best to handle the cases which is a step in the right direction.

“YONECO is really doing a recommendable job in our district because we can now see some young girls being rescued from marriages and also abusive men and women facing the law,” he explained.

In his remarks the board chairperson for YONECO professor Dicks Maluwa Banda pledged to continue working tirelessly to eradicate gender based violence.

“We are really satisfied to hear that our interventions are benefiting many people. Although we have come to the end of 16 days of activism there is need to work in unity towards eradicating gender based violence,” he said.

Banda added: “We will continue working tirelessly to connect young people to the 116 toll free line to increase a reporting platform for violence and assist them accordingly.”

YONECO in conjunction with Malawi Girl Guides Association- MAGGA is implementing a project called Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in Mulanje district.

The project is being financed by the Global Fund through Action Aid and Christian Aid.

During the 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, YONECO conducted various sensitization activities on gender based violence.