By Dean Chisambo
The Consortium of UN women, Oxfam, Centre For Multi- party Democracy (CMD) National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), NGO Gender Coordination Network have urged political parties to give more support and opportunity to increase women to participate in politics when the country is expected to go into 2025 tripartite election.
The Consortium made this appeal after high level engagement with six political parties who have their representative in parliament on Friday in Lilongwe.
In his sentiments, Centre for Mult- party Democracy (CMD) Programme Officer Dalitso Magelegele said they want to make sure that women are actively participating and their participation should increase saying they are also looking for deliberate policies or code of conduct in the political parties that can make more women participate.
Magelegele revealed that political parties must remove the barriers that hinder women participation in politics.
He said:” we are also looking at primary elections, as political parties go into primary elections, we want them to have a level of playing field so that conducive environment for women to actively participate as we are going towards 2025 elections.
He stated that they will put initiatives in place to support women in terms of resources which is a challenge to the majority of women.
In his sentiments Malawi Human rights Commission (MHRC) Commissioner Viwemi Chavula said they are focusing on issues to do with conventions, levelling the playing field making sure that the playing field is levelled and women are able to participate without any challenges.
On his part Alliance For Democracy Vice President Timothy Mtambo commended the consortium for coming up with such an initiative saying they have started at a good time.
Mtambo said it’s so sad that women who form a big part of the country’s population are involved less in participation in politics as compared to men
He later advised the government and the civil society to push for measures so that there must be affirmative action to help women to participate in politics.
In his remarks Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Shadreck Namalomba said in all most areas his party has but needs work identification of women by making sure that women have been supported getting to parliament and to becoming councillors.
He said:” As we speak now out of 45 female members of parliament DPP has got 22, so you can see that about 48 percent of women who are members of parliament are coming from DPP.”
The Consortium met six parties namely: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Alliance For Democracy (AFORD) United Democratic party (UDF), Peoples Party (PP) United Transformation Movement (UTM), Malawi Congress Party (MCP) .
