Double efforts for women empowerment—First Lady

 First Lady Monica Chakwera has called on donors and development partners to double their efforts in financing gender equality interventions to ensure women are promoted in the country.

She said this yesterday at Jenda community ground in Mzimba District when she led the country in commemorating the International Women’s Day

The First Lady admitted that gender financing gaps towards women empowerment initiatives have contributed to stagnation in women’s progress.

She said: “Let me admit that there are existing financial gaps that are affecting investment of women’s growth in education, politics and development in the country.

“Therefore, let me urge all donors and partners to join hands with the government to ensure we champion more interventions and programmes that are aimed at promoting women in all spheres for national development.”

Chakwera also emphasised the need for the country to end gender-based violence and ensure perpetrators of the same are brought to book.

“It is everybody’s role to protect women and girls from various forms of abuses in our localities and ensure women are promoted in leadership positions,” she said.

In her remarks, Minister of Gender, Children and Community Development Jean Sendeza said there is need to increase representation of women in politics and leadership positions as one way of empowering women.

To this effect, she urged women in this country to be advocates of one another in an empowerment drive.

“As we draw closer to 2025 General Election, we have a chance to promote women to take up leadership positions. We need more women to contest on both presidential, legislative and ward councillor positions and let us all support them,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of partners, United Nations (UN) resident coordinator Rebbeca Addah-Donto said they will continue financing and advocating for interventions that promote women and girls agenda in the country.

She said: “This day is a great opportunity to celebrate the real transformation the world has witnessed in women’s development growth, thanks to both individual achievements and our common participation in political life.

“However, we still have challenges to achieve gender equality in the country such as lack of financing towards women, low women participation in leadership positions and gender-based violence which we need to address.”

International Women’s Day falls on March 8 and celebrates social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.