Irony of gender equality

I was left mildly unimpressed on Thursday, February 26, as President Peter Mutharika launched the #HeForSheCampaign which calls for solidarity for gender equality and women empowerment.

It appears there is a groundswell of sentiment for gender equality in Malawi, with this campaign coming hot on the heels of Parliament passing the Marriage Divorce and Family Relations Bill, albeit grudgingly among some male Members of Parliament.

In his speech at the launch on the grounds of Parliament, Mutharika pledged his commitment to promoting gender equality and women empowerment while noting that there exists great disparities in the opportunities men and women are accorded in politics, employment and education, among others.

That Mutharika, a man, should be at the forefront of driving that agenda, which his predecessor should have championed, perhaps attests to a leadership that went AWOL since 2012.This time last year—or the year before— former president Joyce Banda was well poised to push that agenda through and have the Marriage Bill passed by the time she left office.

But instead of building a legacy, the former tenant-in-chief of Kamuzu Palace was pre-occupied with the mundane: distributing a goat here, building a house there, installing or promoting chiefs in almost every household and reducing herself to a social welfare assistant. Her desperation to get re-elected, however, was at the expense of substantive matters of State such as the Marriage Bill.

Banda came from an activist background and, as she reminded us as she went about her so-called charitable works, she survived an abusive marriage. But she let the Bill, which could offer protection to women caught in a situation like hers, stall under her watch. That it has been rejuvenated by her successor — a man — should be an irony that must not be lost on casual observers like me. That is also the reason I have been left unimpressed by the #HeForSheCampaign: Where are the women to push the gender equality agenda?

Before he delivered his speech, senior chiefs, Cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and principal secretaries—all male—were made to sign their commitment to promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

It would seem Mutharika loves these grand occasions where he makes his juniors make their public commitments in full view of everyone. A few weeks ago, when he launched the Public Sector Reform Programme he had his ministers signed pacts of their commitment to diligent public duty. It was as if they were signing off their lives. But that will be the day when he shall drag some errant minister by the ear and bring him the public for a verbal flogging.

But I digress.

Understandably, as the campaign suggests, it ‘he’ for ‘she’, so naturally men would be encouraged to be there for women. But gender is about a two-way relationship between men and women. Now, where are the women who should have committed themselves to promoting and driving the cause of gender equality between men and women?

As for Mutharika’s pledge to uphold and promote gender equality, well, he is a politician first and foremost. I would not hang on his word if I were you.

Politicians are not unknown for paying lip service to their commitments and Mutharika will not be the first nor will he be the last. For instance, less than a year ago, Mutharika promised he would separate party events from State functions. I’m not sure if the presence of young democrats and dancing women clad in party cloth reads like separating party from State.

Talking of the dancing women. While the men were signing their commitment to gender equality and women empowerment, the irony was not lost on me that that was followed by women dancing—for men. Some gender equality indeed!