Minister, communities salute PKN Programme impact

The Pamodzi Kuthetsa Nkhanza (PKN) Consortium, led by WOLREC, on Wednesday, July 15, hosted the Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Honourable Mary Navicha, at one of its impact areas in Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka.

In her address, the Minister commended the PKN Consortium for creating lasting changes in communities.

She challenged women and girls to stop protecting perpetrators of violence: “A lot of women and girls are being harmed by people within their own homes,” she stated. “Silence continues to fuel abuse.”

Minister Navicha also called on traditional leaders to rise and take centre stage — turning their communities into true models of peace and safety for women and girls.

The visit reinforced the growing momentum of the Pamodzi Kuthetsa Nkhanza (PKN) programme, which is delivering real impact on the ground by preventing intimate partner violence and transforming mindsets.

WOLREC Executive Director Maggie Kathewera Banda reaffirmed the Consortium’s dedication: "Together, we are breaking the silence. Together, we are building safer homes and stronger communities."

She hailed the Ministry, the chiefs, and the communities for the continued partnership and support.

Implemented by WOLREC, Girls Empowerment Network -GENET, and Human Rights for Women and Girls with Disabilities in Malawi - HRWGDM with funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through What Works to Prevent Violence, the PKN programme is creating lasting change — one community at a time.

PKN programme seeks to reduce violence against women and girls by strengthening community-based prevention mechanisms, improving access to justice and support services for survivors, and empowering communities to challenge social norms that perpetuate violence.