Spotlight Initiative Phasing Out in Dowa, Malawi
The end of the Spotlight Initiative in the Dowa district was witnessed by officials from UNICEF, UN Women, UNDP, and UNFPA, among others.
Dowa, Malawi- The Spotlight Initiative, a global programme to eliminate violence against women and girls, is phasing out in Dowa district, Malawi, writes Vincent Gunde.
The initiative has been implemented in the district since 2019 and has made significant progress in raising awareness of GBV and providing support to survivors.
District Commissioner Stallichi Mwambiwa said the initiative has been successful in building the capacity of local structures to respond to GBV and has also helped to improve coordination between the police, council, and courts.
"The interventions are ongoing, what exactly is exciting? Today's meeting is just an overview of what the Spotlight Initiative is doing in the district," Mwambiwa said.
He said the initiative has made a lot of progress on the ground, such as raising awareness of GBV reporting and helping communities develop their own interventions to address the issue.
Chief Economist Owen Nalivaka, from the Ministry of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, assured stakeholders that the gains made by the Spotlight Initiative will not be abandoned.
"The fact that there are limited resources should not compel us not to do more," Nalivaka said.
"Councils can still strategize by making use of various programmes available at the council for its sustainability."
He encouraged the Dowa District Council to continue working hard on the progress of the Spotlight interventions by taking care of all assets that came to the council through this initiative.
The end of the Spotlight Initiative in the Dowa district was witnessed by officials from UNICEF, UN Women, UNDP, and UNFPA, among others.
The Spotlight Initiative is a joint initiative of the United Nations and the European Union to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
It is implemented in 15 countries around the world, including Malawi.