WOLREC Calls for Tangible Action to End Harmful Practices Against women and Girls

At the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), WOLREC Executive Director, Kathewera Banda, emphasized the urgent need for tangible action to end harmful practices affecting women and girls. She highlighted key areas requiring attention, including strengthening legal and policy implementation, as well as investing in evidence-based approaches.

"Harmful practices—including child marriage, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, and other forms of discrimination - continue to affect millions of women and girls across the continent," she said. "These practices are deeply embedded in social norms and traditions, making them difficult to eradicate without a comprehensive and coordinated approach."

Kathewera Banda stressed that having progressive laws on paper is not enough; they must be enforced effectively through adequate resourcing, political will, and institutional commitment.

"Let us remind ourselves that we are here not just to talk about commitments but to push for action. The time for rhetoric is over. African women and girls need real change, and they need it now."

She commended the UK government for supporting the Pamodzi Kuthetsa Nkhanza Programme in Malawi, which seeks to end Intimate Partner Violence. As part of the CSW67 proceedings, the Executive Director participated in two panel discussions, advocating for policies, programs, and interventions backed by real accountability to advance gender equality and end harmful practices.