NGO speaks against electoral gender based violence

Action Aid Malawi has bemoaned electoral gender-based violence saying it is limiting women participation in politics.

Action Aid Malawi women rights programme manager Chikumbutso Ngosi said this on Wednesday in Lilongwe during a two-day media workshop for the dissemination of gender related laws in Malawi.

She said due to pervasive violence, most women are afraid of becoming victims of political attacks and clashes as well as fear for their families, limiting their participation in political activity.

“Much of the electoral violence experienced by women is psychological in nature such as intimidation and harassment as well as assault of women candidates, political activists and voters,” said Ngosi in her presentation titled Electoral Gender-based Violence.

She highlighted the need for enforcement of more affirmative ways to give space for women to actively participate in politics.

“Women are marginalised in different ways,  a thing which make them fail to compete on the same level with women,” Ngosi said.

She called on the media to refrain from gender stereotypes as that narrows women’s chances as the media shapes the agenda thereby persuading people to think negatively about women capabilities.

“You the media have to be cautious because whatever you say has a bearing on how people react to issues. People believe so much in what they read or listen to the radio, so if you are always negative about women, that’s exactly what people will think about them,” she advised.

On her part, chief gender and development officer in the Ministry Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Peter Yeresani reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to work with the media in promoting women in the country.

Describing women as key stakeholders in women empowerment, he challenged the media to issues of gender both in their works and on their daily lives.

Various NGOs in the country are championing the 50:50 campaign which aims at achieving equal participation of women and men in next year’s tripartite elections.