Musician Keturah Milimo said she is committed to working with stakeholders to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV) against young girls through her music.
In an interview, Keturah said it is everyone’s responsibility to fight gender-based violence.
Calls for support: Keturah
She said: “I sing for men to offer their support without strings attached. Instead of supporting the girlchild, some take advantage of her poverty and weakness to impregnate her.”
Keturah said some girls are attracted by money and being young, they fail to make sound decisions, resulting in problems such as early pregnancies.
She said some girls cannot afford school fees because some men demand sexual favours first, a situation she described as detrimental.
“I grew up in a poor family and I know how it is when you seek financial opportunities because some men use it to take advantage of the poor,” she said.
In one of her songs titled Akule, the artist pleads with society to let the girl child to grow into a mature woman before talking about marriage and sex.
Goes the song in part: “Akule, akule, mulekeni mwanayo akule, mulekeni mwanayo akule.”
Reacting to Keturah’s sentiments, former Musician Union of Malawi vice-president Lazi Nkhata commended the musician for the initiative.
He said that girls are mostly likely to suffer gender-based violence, but said that both men and women can be abused depending on their situations.
National Youth Network on Climate Change executive director Dominic Nyasulu in an interview hailed Keturah for marking a unique chapter of her cultural music in the country. He said Malawians are looking for music that will go beyond entertainment and Keturah is championship new music which is a step in the right direction.
