Strengthening the prevention of gender based violence (GBV) in Malawi

Objective: 

• Assess the project design in terms of its relevance to the overall development situation in the focus districts and relevance to beneficiaries
• Assess relevance and effectiveness of the project’s strategy and approaches for the achievement of the project objectives Method: The evaluation used both qualitative (Focus group discussions and Key informant interviews) and quantitative (Household questionnaire) methods Key Findings: Outcome 1

▪ 276 against a target of traditional and faith leaders (representing 92% achievements rate) had undertaken a demonstrable social action  

▪ 19 against a target of 6 (representing 317% achievement rate) men ministries and boys clubs were capacitated to advance positive masculinities.

▪ A majority of the survey respondents indicated that traditional (74.5%) and religious leaders (75.6%) had demonstrated social action  

▪ Majority of the respondents indicated that traditional leaders have denounced in public negative social norms perpetrating GBV (52.40%) and faith leaders have preached against negative social norms perpetrating GBV (61.20%).  

▪ The least performed social action is mobilizing communities to build safe houses/homes (0.3% for traditional leaders and 1.9% for faith leaders) and providing shelter to survivors of violence (2.8% for traditional leaders and 4.00% for the faith leaders). Outcome 2  

▪ 6 against a target of 4 (representing 150% achievement rate) faith based theological institutions had their curriculum reviewed to integrate gender-based violence  

▪ 72 against a target of 10 faith leaders advocated for implementation of laws, policies and guidelines on GBV and TIP.  

▪ The private sector was engaged and a number of private sector players were trained on TIP. 10 private sector players have included issues of TIP in their policies and guidelines. Outcome 3  

▪ 1196 (372 male and 824 female) survivors of GBV received various forms of support services.  

▪ The police VSU is the most accessed formal service provider  

▪ Survivors of violence also use informal means and there is a clear pathway on accessing informal GBV service providers starting with the marriage counsellor. Specific Recommendations:  

▪ This project should be extended because the TIP and GBVrelated behavioral changes sought have begun but will take more than two or three years to complete.  

▪ The evaluation suggests an integrated approach to addressing individual, relational, community, and structural issues. The project aims to provide GBV and legal literacy knowledge and skills to women, men, boys, and girls. It should encourage the establishment of community-based safe spaces for women and girls. NCA and partners should make it possible for local women and girls to participate fully in the processes. In terms of legal literacy, the project should ensure that project participants understand their responsibilities, including their roles as witnesses, particularly during court litigation processes.  

▪ The NCA and its partners must develop a strong advocacy strategy and engage in evidence-based advocacy on policy and legal frameworks.  

▪ Gender transformative conscious practice tools and frameworks that challenge negative gender social norms, such as gender dialogue sessions and participatory gender analysis tools like the Venn diagram, should be used in the project.  

▪ Advocate for the funding and implementation of GBV and TIP policy and legal frameworks that would allow survivors to access services and justice.  

▪ The project should ensure that males are involved in all three components of ideal male involvement, so that men are involved as users of GBV services, actors in anti-GBV promotion and service delivery, understand the critical importance of men taking responsibility for GBV, and understand gender and gender-based violence.  

▪ NCA and partners should facilitate district-level coordination mechanisms, particularly in the areas of harmonization of GBV and TIP indicators, as well as the creation of spaces for GBV implementation learning, with a focus on sharing and documenting best practices and approaches, among other things.  

▪ NCA and partners should ensure that time is set aside for reflection and learning with stakeholders. The reflection and learning exercises should be carried out at various levels, beginning with the community and progressing to the district. Reflection and learning sessions at the community level can be done at each impact community or by combining several impact communities to enhance learning among and between communities.