Title: Empowering the Youth to Combat Sexual Violence against Young Women and Girls in Rural Malawi Districts of Nkhatabay, Dowa, Machinga and Nsanje

Decker et., al 2015, estimated that 1 in 4 (25%) sexually active young women in Malawi between the ages of 15 and 19 identify their first sexual encounter as forced. This is the highest rate in the sub-Saharan region (21%) and globally (15%). Sexual violence places young women at risk of early pregnancies, unsafe abortions, child marriages, stigma, risky behaviours, and sexual transmitted infections (STI) including HIV. This project aims to reduce sexual violence in four rural districts in Malawi and targets out-of-school young men and women aged between 15 and 25 who are usually side-lined in gender-based violence revention programmes. In this project, a range of approaches will be employed to impart knowledge and skills that will be used to counter patriarchal ideas, negative gender norms, and practices that promote sexual violence against young women and girls. These approaches include awareness campaigns, mentorship, and training sessions as well as the Empowerment Transformation Training (ETT) programme which uses standardized curricula for young women and young men. The boy's curriculum focuses on positive masculinities and questions young men's views and their attitudes towards gender stereotypes and sexuality. On the other hand, the girl's curriculum empowers young women with knowledge and skills to enable them to play an active role in challenging structural violence that disempowers them. Through these activities, engaged young men and women will gain knowledge, confidence, and courage to counter societal expectations and negative cultural traditions that promote sexual violence. Young men and women who participate in the activities in this project will also be engaged as agents of change and they will implement awareness campaigns on VAWG and lobby for the elimination of harmful cultural practices even after completion of the main project activities.