African women have been urged to report gender-based violence (GBV).

Mozambican Minister of Gender, Child and Social Action, Lucass Mangrasse made the call in Mozambican Capital, Maputo on Tuesday, when he officially opened a weeklong 14th Congregation of the African Women Congress aimed at discussing how various cyclones affected women and contributed to various abuses.

Mangrasse said gender-based violence is contributing to deaths and physical injuries among women in the region.

He said cases of GBV are worsening in the region because majority of abused women suffer in silence in the name of preserving their marriages.

“Which marriage are you trying save yet the same man is leaving you and defile a child in the other room. Women time is here and let’s face these issues head on and deal with them once and for all,” Mangrasse said.

About 250 women from Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Guinea Bissau among those attending the conference.