COWLHA gets K6m for women rights

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

A UK-based organization, One World Action, has granted Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA) a total of K6m for the local NGO to train women in their human rights, especially those living with HIV and Aids.

COWLHA acting national coordinator Steven Iphani said in an interview Friday that it was sad that although Malawi has registered a significant economic growth, the situation of women continue to depend on men for their livelihood and hence the campaign to train them on how they can claim their economic rights.

Iphani explained that the training has already started in Kasungu district where he said abuse of women economic rights is rampant because women there are ignorant of their human rights.

“Women in this tobacco-growing district face huge violation of their economic right. You’ll agree with me that even though women invest a lot of energy in tobacco processing, it’s only men that enjoy the proceeds in most cases,” he said.

The COWLHA boss expressed concerned that despite Malawi registering a significant economic growth over the past few years, many women, both rural and urban areas, continue to depend on their husbands for their livelihood.

“This is coming from decades of more opportunities being offered to men sometimes at the expense of women. Education opportunities were mostly given to boys and young men, which eventually led to their empowerment in many areas of life including economic independence. Women on the other hand have for a long time been culturally groomed to be house wives and dependants of men,” explained Iphani.

Among others the training will equip women in their social and economic rights, advocacy, HIV and Aids care and support, gender-based violence and sustainable livelihood.

Asked if the training would spill to other districts, Iphani said that will depend on the availability of the funds.

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