BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza, has expressed concern over the low number of women contesting in the upcoming September 16 elections.
Sendeza made the remarks during a Cross-Party Women’s Forum Task Force meeting organized by the NGO Gender Coordination Network in Lilongwe.
According to Sendeza, one of the main challenges leading to the low participation of women in the elections is a lack of resources.
Speaking with Maravipost, Sendeza emphasized that many women struggle to access the necessary funds to participate in the electoral process.
Maggie Kathewera Banda, Chairperson of the NGO Gender Coordination Network, echoed Sendeza’s sentiments, highlighting that women in politics face systemic barriers.
These barriers include discriminatory political cultures and limited access to campaign financing, making it difficult for women to participate in the electoral process.
Fatima Abdelkarim Mohamed, UN Women Deputy Country Representative, concurred with Sendeza and Banda, stating that economic inequality among women remains a significant barrier to their participation in politics.
This sentiment is supported by data from the Women’s Manifesto Movement, which shows that fewer women are contesting in the September 16 General Election compared to 2019.
The data reveals that only 270 female candidates have submitted nominations for parliamentary elections, a decrease from 295 in 2019, despite an increase in the number of constituencies.
At the local government level, 426 women have submitted nomination papers, down from over 600 in 2019.
Only one woman, former president Joyce Banda, has presented her nomination papers for the presidential election.
Stakeholders are concerned that this trend threatens efforts to increase women’s participation in elected offices.
They are calling for increased support for female candidates, including access to campaign materials and financing.
Some experts suggest that having a law that promotes gender quotas for parliamentary and local government seats could help achieve the 50-50 gender representation target.
The low turnout of women in the elections has sparked a call to action for stakeholders to support women in politics and challenge the underlying attitudes and beliefs that hinder their participation.
By promoting women’s empowerment and addressing the systemic barriers they face, Malawi can work towards achieving its development goals and promoting inclusive leadership.