Govt under spotlight for ‘sidelining’ women in positions

Gender inequality is rife in the civil service as low women percentages are laid bare in a new report, 10 years after passing a law that promotes parity.

The Gender Equality Act (GEA) compels employers to adhere to gender quotas of 60:40, meaning 60 percent male and 40 percent female or vice versa.

However, a report the government filed to the United Nations admits to gender inequality with men claiming a lion’s share in its top positions.

It shows that out of 63 principal secretaries, 72 percent are men for directors, only 30 percent are women.

“Although the overall percentage of females in the public service is less than 40 per cent, the government is committed to implementing the gender quota,” it reads in part.

The report contains responses to queries the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee raised regarding human rights, gender laws implementation, food security and prisoners’ welfare among others.

Government, however, boasts of making strides in achieving the gender quota in the Cabinet and diplomatic appointments.

It says it is committed to implementing the gender quota prescribed in the Gender Equality Act “as evidenced by the number of women who hold key positions in the public service. In the judiciary, 50 per cent of all recently appointed judges are women.”

“With regard to female representation in decision-making, 40 percent of ministers in Cabinet are women while 50 per cent of ambassadors are female,” it reads.

The State further points out that the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Clerk of Parliament are female.

“There are several high-ranking female officials, including Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet, the Ombudsman and Human Rights Commission executive secretary,” the report says.

The glaring gaps are also conspicuous in political positions as the report says 23 per cent of the 193 legislators in Parliament and 14.6 per cent of the 462 councillors are women.

In an interview, Ministry of Gender spokesperson Pauline Kaude says the current administration has been following the 60:40 quota provisions in recruitments since it came into power.

She said: “If there is still an imbalance, it is because of previous recruitments which were not following gender quotas.”

The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) is tasked to enforce the Gender Equality Act.

It had not responded to our questionnaire as we went to press.

However, in its own report submitted to the same UN committee last year, it noted dwindling figures of qualified women in the Executive and Legislature.

“Women stand at 33 percent in both branches of government, as such not compliant with the gender quota provided by the Gender Equality Act, 2013.

“The committee is, therefore, encouraged to call upon the government to come up with affirmative action to close the gap to at least reach the 40:60 requirements as per the Gender Equality Act 2013,” the report says.

Meanwhile, gender activist Emma Kaliya, who heads the Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre, said it was disappointing that the country is failing to achieve the gender law threshold.

She attributed it to lack of qualified women to compete for positions.

“When shortlisting for interviews, men dominate. If more men compete against two women, chances are that a man will be picked,” she said.

Kaliya attributed this to women lagging behind even in the 60:40 university quota and secondary schools selection.

“How many of those selected women graduate? Most end up in marriages and sadly, parents fail to stop this. If we don’t address these issues, then we can forget about achieving gender equality goals,” she said.

She, however, noted that previously, it was impossible to have women as Inspector General of Police, ombudsman, Anti-Corruption Bureau director general and Secretary to the President and Cabinet.

The Act on quotas compliance is stipulated in Section 12.

It says: “Where an appointing or recruiting authority does not comply with section 11, the court shall, on application by the aggrieved person, make an order against the appointing or recruiting authority.”

“Where an appointing or recruiting authority fails to implement the terms of a compliance order, it commits an offence and is liable to a fine of K20 000 for every day the compliance order remains unimplemented.”