Malawi’s Speaker of National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara says government and private sector institutions policies must encompass women as critical architects of Malawi’s socioeconomic progress, rather passive recipients of the fruits of development.
Gotani Hara was speaking at Mwazaangati Primary School in Machinga East Constituency during the 50:50 Elect Her and Retain Her campaign which is being championed by OXFAM to promote women to grab more parliamentary seats.
She said policymakers have to implement multi- sectoral schemes and recognize the potential women in the nation by putting good political and economic environment that can make them contribute effectively to the economic growth of the country.
“We need to scale up support for women- owned small, medium and enterprises (SME’s) for women who are in informal sector. This will include engagement with the financial sector to make financial services accessible and affordable for them as the country is preparing for 2025 tripartite polls,” said Hara who is also MCP First Secretary General.
She further reminded Malawians that women are creators of human civilization and drivers of social and national building for they made extraordinary contributions across all fields of endeavour.
“During COVID-19 pandemic, female medical and epidemic workers, researchers, community workers among others braved danger and worked around the clock and fought at the front line of the battle, seeing death in their eyes but never shaken. With their patriotic and ingenuity, they have written heroic epics of saving people hence need to give more space for women in the country”, said Gotani while declaring women as generational saviours.
She also advised women to stop backbiting as this has a potential to delay women empowerment drive.
Taking her turn, OXFAM Country Director, Lingarireni Mihowa says her organization will continue supporting women in its quest to achieve 50:50 representation in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, Senior Chief Nkoola has pledged his support to their MP, Ester Jolobala during the 2025 polls.
The function was attended by various prominent women including President of Inter- Parliamentary Union for Women’s Forum in the World, the Mexican Cynthia Lopez Castro, Public Appointments Committee Chairperson Joyce Chitsulo, Chairperson of Women Caucus Roseby Gadama, Budget and Finance Committee Chairperson, Gladys Ganda, Information and Digitisation Chairperson Susan Dossi among others.
