Speaking to Zodiak Online Thursday, Project Coordinator at Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women (CAVWOC) Asante Mbisa Chimsale said the move will bridge the gaps that hinder women and girls from accessing justice besides instilling hope on the referral systems.

Chimsale said most gender based violence related cases occur in communities and victims do not know where to report to, and introduction of the mobile court sessions will likely to increase awareness of various forms of abuses subjected to women and girls.

“Most women and girls living in rural areas fail to access justice because courts are situated in towns and cities and introduction of mobiles court sessions will bridge that gap,” said Chimsale.

Phalombe First Grade Magistrate Leonard Fletcher Mtosa has described the initiative as timely, adding most witnesses fail to testify in court owing to long distances which they cover to the court.

“During this period, cases of witnesses failing to testify in court will be addressed since the court sessions will be conducted right in the community,” said Mtosa.

In his remarks, Group Village Headman Mkhumba, said the initiative will help in preventing occurrence of gender based violence as the sessions will act as sensitization sessions deterring would be offenders in the process.

Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children (CAVWOC) and Oxfam Malawi are implementing a project dubbed Education Support to Girls and other Vulnerable Children with financial support from Oxfam Hong Kong.

Apart from introduction of mobile court sessions, the organization is also supporting vulnerable girls with educational bursaries and it is being implemented in the area of traditional authorities Mkhumba and Nazombe in Phalombe district.