Bishop condemns harmful cultural beliefs
Bishop Montfort Stima of Mangochi Catholic Diocese has said the disparity between men and women in the country will continue widening unless harmful cultural beliefs which negate women from their male counterparts are scrapped off.
The bishop has also challenged women in the country to be more active and not allow to be relegated to play second fiddle to men.
Stima spoke on Saturday in Mangochi when Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI) University held International Women’s Day commemoration at the institution’s ground.
The bishop bemoaned some cultural practices which still regard women as subordinates.
He said: “Let’s all strive to remove some obstacles in the name of cultural beliefs which are denying women chance to realise their full potential in the economic world. At a time when government is working hard to put in place initiatives that empower women to take up leadership roles, there is need to remove the barriers.”
To this effect, Stima urged chiefs and religious leaders to play a key role in scrutinising some of the cultural beliefs and liberate women from the captive world, saying this is one of the major impediments to economic prosperity.
But the bishop hailed staff and management of DMI University for embarking on a social life programme such as Village Savings and Loans, literacy education and vocational skills, among others within the diocese of Mangochi, observing this will empower women to move out from the cages of poverty.
In his remarks, secretary for DMI University Father Sengol Jeyaseelan said they introduced a social programme to empower vulnerable communities surrounding the university with various initiatives that would improve the well-being of women and reduce their levels of poverty. n
