On Tuesday, Malawi goes to the polls to elect a president, legislators and councillors. This is a defining moment for our country—which is largely constituted by women and youth.
With barely a day to go, we need to ask ourselves one key question; who do we trust enough to shape our future? While it might seem simple, this question serves as a stark reminder of the importance of voting—in particular—for individuals that will serve our interests and the nation at large.
As such, we should bear in mind that the polls offers us an opportunity to put our fellow women in positions that matter. We should ensure our fellow women, who would definitely for our rights, are elected into positions that will be able to influence policy.
For decades, women have been the backbone of communities—feeding families, educating children, driving markets and holding society together in times of crisis—yet, in politics, the voices have remained minimal. Our voices in politics have been ignored; hence, this is time that we start reversing such a trend.
How? Through our respective ballots that we cast on Tuesday.
When women lead, communities thrive; families thrive; development is inclusive. Evidence from across Africa and beyond shows that more often, female leaders prioritise integral issues such as health, education, food security and protection of the most vulnerable in society.
Their leadership brings balance, compassion and a fierce sense of justice to decision-making tables that desperately need all three. In essence, prioritising our vote for women does not mean arming up against men, no. It is ensuring Malawi has a fair representation of women; hence, ushering in a new era where policies would be inclusive and not discriminatory.
If we look at the current status, women are far less represented in positions that matter despite that they remain in majority. We may have some few women in certain key positions, yet the numbers do not reflect the reality of women being in majority.
This election, therefore, provides us a great opportunity to ensure we usher in more women in leadership positions for both our own good as women and as a country. Malawi has able female leaders; let’s try giving those a chance to lead us the next five years.
When women rise, Malawi rises with them.
