The two ladies called for Concerted Efforts in Girl and Women Empowerment

LILONGWE, Malawi First Lady Dr. Gertrude Mutharika says global stakeholders need to intensify their efforts through various interventions in uplifting the lives of girls and women in the world.

She was speaking on Wednesday at Kamuzu Palace, Lilongwe when she hosted USA Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden, a meeting at which the two discussed their countries’ shared commitment to empowering women and girls, and fighting food insecurity.

Madame Mutharika said the need for serious intervention is what necessitated her founding of Beautify Malawi Trust a platform she is using to champion girl and women rights.

“Our efforts in promoting human rights are driven by our passion to give greater attention to the rights of women and girls.

Malawi like many countries in the world is still a society where women face numerous challenges including all forms of violence as well as discrimination both socially and economically.

We still experience cases of victimization and abuse of the girl child. This is why I have undertaken active steps to complement government’s efforts in supporting girls’ education under the Beautify Malawi Initiative.”

She added that Beam Trust is here to mobilize and retain as many girls as possible in school and reduce school dropout rates of girls.

“Our focus on women empowerment and girls’ education is premised on the understanding that it is education that can lift communities out of poverty. Education is an empowerment tool that can help women and girls to develop self-confidence and cultivate self-esteem thereby be taken out of the peripheral of social and economic development to take up their rightful place as active participants, she said.

She further explained how Beam relates Education and Environmental issues with an understanding that clean surroundings play a great role in the academic endeavor of a girl child.

On another note Madame Mutharika called upon the United States government to support Beam and other stakeholders in promoting the rights of people living with albinism in the face of persecution in relation to ritual beliefs.

Dr. Jill Biden is in the country as part of her three-country visit to Africa to engage government and civil society partners on issues related to economic empowerment and educational opportunities for women and girls, and food security.