Sunday, March 7, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Editors Pick

50:50 campaigners fault Cabinet

by Edwin Nyirongo
12/11/2018
in Editors Pick, National News
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

 

The 50:50 Campaign Management Agency, an institution championing gender equality in elected political positions, has faulted President Peter Mutharika for reducing the number of women in Cabinet from four to three in the 20-member team.

RelatedHeadlines

Court blocks RBM deputy governor salary cut

RBM sues Mulli, 4 others

Dilemma over regional elections

But government has said women empowerment is more than being appointed to serve in the Cabinet.

Grace Malera | The Nation Online
Co-signed statement: Malera

In a statement released on Friday signed by its team leader Viwemi Chavula and ActionAid Malawi executive director Grace Malera, the agency said the action reverses the progress the country has made towards achieving gender equality obligations entrenched in the country’s laws.

Reads the statement in part: “This severe gender imbalance in the Cabinet casts serious doubts and brings into question both the President’s and government’s commitment to the agenda of increasing representation of women in politics.

“This development undermines the very ethos of gender equality and attendant obligations on affirmative action which this country requires for the empowerment of women.

“It also puts into question the President’s commitment on his role as a HeForShe Global Champion where he committed to achieve gender parity by 2020 and deliver change from the top.”

The 50:50 Campaign Management Agency said while it acknowledges that the power and prerogative to appoint people into Cabinet rests in the President, said the Head of State is under obligation to uphold the dictates of the Constitution when exercising such powers.

“Observance of the provisions relating to gender equality as provided for in sections 13, 20, and 24 of the Constitution and various statutes and international human rights instruments ratified by Malawi, among other things, is of paramount importance.

“In view of the foregoing, the agency is reminding the political leadership of this country that democracy is constructed by processes of inclusiveness. The women of Malawi have constitutionally guaranteed human rights, including the right to gender equality,” reads the statement.

But Minister of Information and Communications Technology Henry Mussa, who is the official government spokesperson, said people should not only look at Cabinet as there are many positions headed by women.

He said: “The Malawi Electoral Commission [MEC] chairperson is a woman as well as Competition and Fair Trading [CFTC] chief executive officer. Then we have women leaders in embassies, Parliament [First Deputy Speaker], parastatals and even principal secretaries.

“There is need to look at things outside the box because when we talk about 50:50 campaign. It is not about Cabinet only.”

Mutharika has also come under fire for appointing into Cabinet firebrand Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regional governor for the South Charles Mchacha who is accused of demeaning women.

Also under scrutiny is Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Grace Chiumia for failing to declare her assets which is contrary to Section 14 (3) of the Declaration of

Assets, Liabilities and Business Interests Act of 2013.

The assets directorate wrote the President and Speaker of Parliament to dismiss Chiumia. Besides the minister, there are also five other legislators who did not comply with the assets law.

Previous Post

Droughts, floods and hunger

Next Post

VP trips annoy state house

Related Posts

Protesting pay cut: Mathanga
National News

Court blocks RBM deputy governor salary cut

March 7, 2021
Mulli: The chiefs chose Kaduya
National News

RBM sues Mulli, 4 others

March 7, 2021
Action in the SRFL Premier Division
National Sports

Dilemma over regional elections

March 7, 2021
Next Post
Chilima interacts with some participants after one of his 
meetings in London

VP trips annoy state house

Opinions and Columns

Search Within

Cut out the religious dogma from Covid-19 vaccines

March 7, 2021
Big Man Wamkulu

Won’t libido-boosting pills kill him?

March 7, 2021
Political Uncensored

Pulling rank…

March 7, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Ombudsman has challenged us all

March 7, 2021

Trending Stories

  • Lowe: We are trying to find potential markets

    Ministry plans to export 1m tonnes surplus maize

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Court blocks RBM deputy governor salary cut

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SKC ‘intervenes’ on youths’ demos

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • RBM sues Mulli, 4 others

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Police, DPP, ‘ignore’ court order

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.