Stakeholders to the National Gender Conference in Mangochi have said although there is progress in the fight for gender equality, Malawi needs to do better.
One of the speakers, Wilsa national coordinator Seodi White, said at the conference that there were still many issues that were supposed to be achieved to show that Malawi has progressed into achieving gender equality.
“In this fight for gender equality, we still have a long way to go. We seem to be moving one step forward and two steps backwards,” she said.
White also said Malawi is a society engrossed in patriarchy, which makes the gender equality fight difficult to absolutely achieve.
Chancellor College lecturer Jessie Kabwila said one thing hindering the fight for gender equality was that gender is run like non-governmental organisation ( NGO), thereby only filling up the holes whenever there is a problem.
Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Anita Kalinde said in as much as Malawi was celebrating the passing of several legal instruments there was need to put parameters to ensure that gender equality is absolutely achieved.
The highlight of the conference will among other things be the celebration of the passing of important legislation these are the Gender Equality Act, Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and the Deceased Estate (Wills, Inheritance and Protection Act).
UN women representative Alice Harding Shackelford said that it was time for all stakeholders in the gender fight to work together.
“We need to work hard to ensure that gender equality is translated in the lives of men and women,” she said.
In her keynote address, Chief Justice Anastasia Msosa, while telling the story of her life stressed the need to work hard at every level of life so as to succeed in life.
The conference has been organised by Malawi Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and has been sponsored by Malawi UN with financial support from Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA).
