From Where I Stand: My Job is to Get Men Involved In Protecting The Rights of Girls And Women

Date: Tuesday, 2 July 2024 

Gerald Kathumba is a fisherman and a HeForShe change agent challenging harmful gender norms in southern Malawi. Created by UN Women, the HeForShe movement is mobilizing men and boys, like Gerald, to take action for a gender- equal Malawi. Here is a Tale of Transformation in his own words. 

“Growing up in Makawa, a fishing village on Lake Malawi, I saw the hard lives of women and girls. Fishing, controlled by men, often left young girls vulnerable to abuse. Parents, looking for quick money, forced them to work at the fishing market, exposing them to various dangers. 

When the HeForShe UBRAF Project, championed by UN Women came to our community, I committed to be a change agent. The HeForShe campaign in Mangochi targeted Makawa as it is known as a hotspot for gender-based violence and exploitation.  

HeForShe’s message deeply resonated with me, calling for men and everyone to support women. I grew up in a home where my father abused my mother. Seeing the unfair treatment of girls and women, especially at the fishing market, also drove me to seek change. My job is to get men involved in protecting the rights of girls and women, fighting gender-based violence, and supporting HIV prevention. As a change agent, I work daily to raise awareness about gender-based violence, prevent early marriages, and promote positive masculinity among men and boys. 

Our quick response to violence, ending child marriages, and mediating disputes has made us well-known, even among chiefs. Chiefs now call on Change Agents to help handle complaints in their courts. 

One major challenge in our community was the delay in resolving cases, discouraging women and girls from reporting violence. With Change Agents involved, cases are now identified and managed quickly, encouraging more women and girls to report incidents, knowing they will get the help they need. 

Our influence has reached neighboring areas. Despite using our own resources to travel to these distant places, our efforts have been recognized by the local government.”