Hunger threat stirs action for rural women
The Circle for Integrated Community Development (Cicod) has mobilised rural women to speak out against exploitation in the face of looming hunger.
A report released recently by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) has revealed that 2 833 212 Malawians, representing 17 percent of the population, will be food insecure during the 2015/2016 consumption season.
Cicod executive director, Amos Tizora, observed that such crises have a very big impact on the livelihoods of women and children who do not have a voice at in their communities.
Tizora said even before crises, women face serious gender challenges to access or control productive resources despite being the majority of the country’s human population and being a key factor to the country’s socio-economic activities.
“Their chances for participation in decision making on things that affect their lives are low,” he said.
Cicod’s first campaign, held in Kasungu, navigated a minefield of gender, land rights, HIV and Aids and agri-produce marketing opportunities for women farmers.
Oxfam is fundind the campaign which aims to link rural women with national stakeholders so that their food and income security is guaranteed.
