Essential Gender-Based Violence Services and Prevention Project in Malawi

WEI/Bantwana implemented a comprehensive school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) prevention and response program in 43 secondary schools in Malawi, reaching 12,000 student and 17,000 community members with interventions at the individual, school, household and community level: 1. Built the agency of adolescent girls and boys to promote gender equality and to recognize and report violence through Protect Our Youth Clubs (POY) . Organized inter-school competitions and information dissemination to increase awareness of SRGBV prevention and response. Post-test results indicate that POY increased positive attitudes towards gender equality and decreased tolerance of violence among students. Qualitative results show that POY helped students recognize forms of GBV and report it, to challenge gender norms in a safe space, and to empower girls to better protect themselves from SRGBV. 2. Trained 417 teachers and administrators on child rights, teacher misconduct and positive discipline to reduce SRGBV. Trained Mother Groups on case management and creating a supportive school environment. Introduced student dropout early warning system to retain at-risk students in schools. Organized GBV awareness Bonanzas where 3,249 students accessed critical health, justice and social protection services. 3. Strengthened capacity of 6,046 caregivers to prevent violence and support girls’ education through Village Savings and Lending Associations and positive parenting training. 4. Enhanced community efforts to respond to GBV by engaging duty bearers through interface meetings; platforms that provide students an opportunity to engage service providers and local leaders to hold them accountable for their conduct and service delivery.