Unscripted and unstoppable: EU celebrates International Day of the Girl in Mzuzu

The European Union took time on Friday to celebrate the International Day of the Girl at Chibavi Community Day Secondary in the city of Mzuzu.

This year’s theme was “Girl Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable”.

The function took place side by side with the end of a campaign on gender that was launched a few months ago by European Union. The campaign was themed Tikwezane and through it, European Union facilitated dialogue on gender issues in Malawi.

Radio programmes, community meetings and creative competition were held to discuss and challenge attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate gender inequalities in Malawi. Beyond the discussions, EU hoped to inspire change agents in the society; young people who can speak out against sexual and gender based violence, and leaders impart knowledge and values of equality in Malawi.

At the event, three students from Community Day Secondary Schools were awarded by the European Union for their works in a competition that was instituted by EU.

Steve Jeke from Chimteka CDSS in Mchinji won the third prize for a wonderful drawing that was advocating for gender equality while Brave Tambala from Golongozi CDSS in Dowa won the second prize with his poem on the same.

The overall winner was Austin Brown; a Form 4 student at Chibavi CDSS in Mzuzu. Austin composed a song that was embracing gender equality among boys and girls.

Speaking at the function, Headteacher for Chibavi CDSS, Osward Lungu, thanked the European Union for erecting a library, laboratories, administration block, classroom blocks and a water tank at the school in support of both the boy and girl child.

He however asked well wishers to help the school in erecting a fence around the campus saying right now the structures were not safe without a fence.

Representative of the European Union Ambassador to Malawi, Virginie Lafleur-Tighe said the Tikwezane campaign has helped to unveil various ways in which men and women can work together to address gender inequality.

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