Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a major hindrance to various groups of individuals in Malawi. Despite ongoing efforts by the government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and individuals to address the issue, GBV continues to be a challenge affecting many individuals including those in the education sector. 

Recognizing the importance of addressing this issue, The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) developed a gender policy aimed at providing mitigation strategy in addressing the vice. 

As part of its commitment to ending GBV, MUBAS undertook initiatives through the World Bank-funded Skills for A Vibrant Economy (SAVE) project with emphasis on targeting secondary school students across the country in empowering them through sensitization clinics which were conducted in over 26 secondary schools across the country and over 8,000 students were trained in GBV during October 2023 tours.

The primary objective of the tours and sensitization clinics was to raise awareness and educate students on various forms of GBV, consequently equiping them with the knowledge and skills they need to have in-order for them to identify the vice and then respond appropriately to cases of GBV.

One of the facilitators of the GBV initiative, Dr. Dorothy Eneya, team leader for the GBV initiative described the exercise as hugely successful and a great step in the right direction in dealing with the vice.

"The initiative proved highly successful as the students actively participated and demonstrated genuine engagement. It was enlightening to observe them becoming aware of certain behaviors they might have unknowingly exhibited, recognizing their potential impact. Their positive reception of the program reflects their openness to understanding and addressing the crucial issue of Gender-Based Violence," said Eneya.

Some of the schools the MUBAS team visited during the exercise included Namitete Mchinji, Ntcheu, Karonga, Saint Marys, Chitipa, Lirangwe Community Day, Saint Micheal Girls and Ntaja Community Day Secondary Schools. 

The university is expected to reach out to more schools in 2024 sensitization programmes which will start in April, 2024.