LILONGWE (Maravipost)–Malawi President Peter Mutharika has challenged law makers, civil society, faith based organizations and private and public sectors to create a conducive legal and policy environment for effective and efficient attainment of gender equality and women empowerment in the country.
Mutharika said this when he presided over the launch of He4She campaign at the Parliament Building in Lilongwe Thursday.
The He4She Campaign is a global initiative which intends to mobilize men and boys to be advocates and agents of change in ending inequalities faced by women and girls globally.
According to Mutharika, gender equality and women empowerment is not only a women’s problem, but it is a human rights issue which calls for the full support and participation of men and boys.
He therefore made a commitment by pledging to promote gender equality and women empowerment and ensure that women and men the right to equal opportunities in employment, decision making, politics, private sector, public life, religious and civil society undertakings.
“I wish to reiterate that my Government is committed to achieving the provisions of the Gender Equality Act; the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development; and the African Union Charter on the Rights of Women.
“I am therefore calling upon the Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare to ensure that the 2015 year of women is marked with a number of activities which promote gender equality and women empowerment and rights as we move towards the achievement of the 2063 African Union Agenda,” said Mutharika.
The AU agenda 2063 aims at narrowing the gap between women and men in the region and in its members States.
The Malawi leader said there are glaring gaps between women and men in education; employment; and politics, claiming that men and boys tend to strongly oppose the efforts being made to level the play field for equal competition.
He therefore urged every Malawian man and boy in particular to reverse the trend and “we should be the ones urging our sisters, aunts, mothers and daughters to carry the mantle and run ahead of us”.
“Gender equality and women empowerment is the co-existence between the women and men, girls and boys in a space which provides equal opportunities for both sexes to enjoy their rights, achieve their dreams, aspirations and contribute to the sustainable development of Malawi,” he asserted.
He also claimed that his government’s commitment to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women is demonstrated by the domestication of the international instruments in the Constitution which enshrines the Bill of Rights in Chapter 4; Section 24 which provides for equality.
Recently, Malawi has enacted several legislations which promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.
“My Government is aware that the Millennium Development Goals 1, 2, 3 and 5 will not be achieved by 2015 and they all have a gender connotation. I strongly believe that 2015 is the year for stock taking and re-strategising on how to ensure accelerated progress towards the attainment of gender equality and women empowerment in the post-2015 Malawi agenda,” he stated.
