By JULIUS PHIRI –
GENDER and Child Development Minister Victoria Kalima has attributed the increase in the number of Gender Based Violence (GBVs) cases to the dependency syndrome.
The minister said it was not a secret that most women depended on men.
Ms Kalima said when she paid a courtesy call on Chipata District Administrative Officer Kapembwa Sikazwe in Chipata on Monday that GBV cases were on the increase because of the dependency syndrome.
“The major cause of GBV cases is the dependency syndrome. So the best way to reduce the GBV cases is through empowerment of women and the girl child who are so vulnerable in society,” she said.
She explained that it was saddening that many women were caught up in the GBV related cases across the country.
The minister said Government had deliberately formulated policies on how GBV cases could be curbed in the country.
Ms Kalima said there was need for men and women to consider dialogue in their communities in order to help the Government and other stakeholders in curbing the violence.
She also bemoaned the increased  number of child marriages in Eastern Province.
She said according to the statistics, the province was the highest in terms of the child marriages in the country.
Ms Kalima said there was need to work together in an effort to combat the increased number of child marriages.
She said her ministry would soon form some taskforce committees through the help of the traditional leadership as part of combating the vice.
Mr Sikazwe said that the district had set up a  committee that would tackle and provide solutions on why gender cases had increased.
He said that the committee would report to the Ministry for records and progress.