The 50-50 Management Agency has announced it will cover nomination fees for all aspiring women with disabilities contesting for positions of member of Parliament (MP) and councillor.
In an interview at the weekend after a two-day motivation training workshop for female aspirants with disabilities, one of the 50-50 Management Agency consortium members ActionAid Malawi executive secretary Grace Malera said having disabilities should not limit women from maximising their potential and ability.
She said: “We know that the campaign process requires heavy investments, including finances. We have made a commitment to finance nomination fees for disabled women who want to contest as councillors or MPs,” she said.
On her part, Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (Fedoma) chairperson Anita Hanjahanja thanked the agency for the support, saying there are 27 women aspiring for political positions—four as MPs and the rest as councillors.
She said: “There are many challenges that women with disabilities face, including discrimination. We are disabled but we are capable. We need to be given a chance.”
The agency has since linked the aspirants with 21 organisations, including Citizen Alliance, ActionAid Malawi and Nkhoma Synod Radio who fulfilled the requirements to receive grants from the agency to run the 50-50 campaign.
The monetary grants range from K11 million to K30 million and two twin cab cars which have been given to ActionAid.
The Ministry of Gender Children, Disability and Social Welfare, in conjunction with the 50:50 Campaign Management Agency, launched the 50:50 campaign in May this year aimed at increasing women participation in politics and lobbying political parties to develop strategies that will make participation of women possible.
