BLANTYRE (Maravipost)–Outspoken gender activists have expressed displeasure over Malawi President Peter Mutharika’s selection of diplomats, saying the country is retrogressing in terms of gender balance.
Mutharika has hired eight people to diplomatic missions of which only one is a woman, Chrissie Kaponda, who has been appointed as the High Commissioner to South Africa.
He also has a male dominated cabinet of 17 men and only three women.
“I am very sad with what the President has done. This was his opportunity to show that he recognises women,” said Emma Kaliya, Executive Director of NGO Gender Network.
Kaliya observed that there are qualified women who can equally take such appointment.
On her part, Emmie Chanika, Executive Director of Civil Liberties Committee (CILIC), said selection of diplomats demonstrates that the country’s leadership has a wrong perception towards women.
She said it is high time gender activists fought harder in order to have issues of gender balance incorporated in the process of making such appointments.
“If they are ignoring us do you think they may listen and consider us woman? We are so culturally rotten, the entire society is rotten hence our leaders do not care about women,” said Chanika.