Women Empowerment Stories

Mayele: Intimidation is a major challenge

When women become political ladders

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Immediately Beatrice Mayele, 32, of Ntokoma Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga expressed her interest to contest in the local government elections, she started receiving messages from anonymous numbers warning her to rescind her decision.

Of all the messages Mayele got, one made her shiver with fear. The message was so explicit no one would dare defy: “Don’t risk your life by contesting against our favourite. Don’t you have respect? As a woman, you can’t contest against men. If you continue with your intention to contest, you’ll be doing so at your own risk!”

She believes the messages were coming from people purposely hired by her male contenders to discourage her from realizing her political dreams.

Although Mayele has not given up the fight yet, she is, however, aware of the uphill task she has ahead of her to persuade people in her ward into giving her their precious votes.

“I’m still determined although I know I’ll face challenges because people here don’t believe in gender equality. I’m disadvantaged because all my male contenders have financial muscles, which they can use to inducing voters into electing them,” says Mayele who intends to represent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Machinga.

Despite the call for gender equality in all sectors of life, many people across the country still believe a woman can only be a leader in the presence of fellow women. This belief is largely influenced by religious or cultural traditions, which limit women authority to fellow women.

For example, in Islam, a woman cannot stand at the pulpit to preach the word of God because that is against the teachings of the Holy Quran.

Similarly, in Ngoni traditions, women have to submit to male children however young. Chimbizgani Jere of Embangweni in Mzimba explains that although their culture appreciates the role women play in the society, their authority is mostly limited to fellow women and male children less than five years of age.

“In our culture, every male child is regarded as king. Such being the case, every woman has to submit to him even if he’s young,” explains Jere.

This type of teachings, if incorporated in our cultural values and customs, can influence people’s attitude towards women as being inferior to men.

In its 24th April 2010 research paper, Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Educational Trust (Wilsa-Malawi) states that customary laws and practices dictate unequal gender relations, compounding discrimination that women face in public and private institutions.

Consequently, obstacles to gender equality persist in Malawi because of existing discriminatory statutory and customary laws and practices, the organization observes.

The large disjuncture existing between women’s constitutional rights and formal laws [customary laws and practices] also worsens the situation as they act as a barrier to women’s empowerment.

However, in Mchinji West Constituency people defied the status quo in the last general elections by electing a female Member of Parliament—Theresa Gloria. They have not been disappointed, so far, according to Traditional Authority Simphasi and his subjects.

Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development provides for equal representation of women in all levels of government.

The protocol calls upon governments and states to commit themselves to the empowerment of women, elimination of all forms of discrimination and to achieve gender equality and equity through the development and implementation of gender responsive legislation policies, programmes and projects.

And to show Malawi’s commitment to gender equality, President Bingu wa Mutharika signed the protocol on October 19, 2009 where he also reaffirmed his determination to empower women in all spheres of the country’s development.

Mutharika told the multitude that gathered to witness the signing ceremony that he was, personally, committed to issues of women empowerment and that he would make sure Malawi was among the first countries to ratify and implement it.

The president observed that women, just like men, were capable of performing as long as they are told and empowered of their role and asked Malawians to accord women a safe environment where they [women] could be resourceful without being inhibited and intimidated.

“We can’t achieve gender balance if we don’t provide a favourable environment for women participation because many women will simply shy away,” said the president.

Pan African Civic Educators Network (Pacenet) executive director Steve Duwa says although Malawi has registered quite a considerable number of women being elected to parliamentary positions in the 2009 general elections, the political climate remains hostile to women and this may have a negative impact on the fight for 50-50 women representation.

Duwa attributes the stagnation to male politicians whom he accuses of using issues of women empowerment as a ploy for rising to top positions because little support or recognition is made to females who have managed to assume leadership positions.

“On paper, the political situation is friendly, but in practice very few women are given the opportunity to realize their potential,” he argues.

“It goes back to the issue of attitude towards women as being inferior to men. Women in elected or appointed positions are usually suppressed by men who want to dominate in all decision-making processes. Most women in appointed into positions are usually controlled by the appointing authorities,” he explains.

Duwa observes that, in most cases, women are given certain positions only when their presence would bring about significant benefits to the men around. He says unless more women are given reasonable share of political power and influence and that they act independently so that they can influence enactment of policies and laws friendly to women in general, the campaign for gender equality and respect for the rights of women will remain a mere rhetoric.

Of the 192 seats Malawi Parliament has, women occupy 42 seats representing 25 percent.

Mayele concurs with the Pacenet boss saying it is not enough to sign the protocols without showing commitment to their implementation. She says while signing of the protocols is a step towards achieving women empowerment, there is need for government to help in creating a fertile ground for women participation in public life.

“Government and the civil society need to work together in civic educating the masses on issues of women empowerment. It’s not easy to change people’s mindset, especially men. Hence there is need for more civic education over this matter,” she states.

Mayele mainly singles out male politicians as violators the legislations that call for women empowerment because they [men] consider women as threats to their political career.

“For example, since I expressed my desire to contest, male contenders have been threatening to deal with me. This shows how backward some people are thinking about us; they think we should be confined to kitchen work,” adds the aspirant.

In the spirit of gender equality and women empowerment, Mayele needs to be encouraged to nurture her interest in public life.

President Mutharika supports gender equality and would, therefore, be the first to support her aspirations. He, however, argues that gender balance does not necessarily every woman should be appointed into positions of authority just for the sake of it.

According to him, quality has to matter when the society is deciding on who should assume roles of leadership lest we compromise the delivery of services in both public and private institution.

“We really need to look at quality,” he said when signing the SADC protocol adding, “Be clear of what you want. It [the 50-50 campaign] should not just be a slogan.”

END