First Vice-President Jane Ansah says Malawi needs women who are educated, courageous, innovators, leaders, judges, entrepreneurs, scientists and decision-makers to help develop the country.
The country’s Second Citizen said this on Saturday in Lilongwe during the International Women’s Day celebrations hosted by Miss Malawi Thandie Chisi and the Miss Malawi Organisation.
| Patricia Kapulula, Mana
The event aimed to inspire young girls through interactions with leading women from across the nations key sectors, including agriculture, public service and policy, media and communications, medicine, the creative industry and the NGO sector.
In an address made available to The Nation, Ansah, a retired Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal judge, said the day provided a moment of reflection, encouragement, and a moment of awakening for every girl and woman who believes that their life can become something meaningful and impactful.
She said: “Today, our country is home to more than 21 million citizens. Many of them are not physically here with us in this room, but they are watching and listening through social media and other platforms carrying this beautiful event.
“I believe that the next generation of leaders of Malawi is seated in this very room. One day, many years from now, one of the young girls sitting here today may stand on a stage like this, not as a student but as a leader of this nation.”
Ansah said the Democratic Progressive Party administration places great emphasis on empowering women, strengthening education, and creating opportunities for young people to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.
She said she was encouraged by Chisi’s spirit of determination that drives many young women who refuse to allow their circumstances to define their destiny.
“The dreams you carry today may seem small, but they are seeds. Every great tree begins as a small seed waiting patiently for the right moment to grow. Those seeds require work. They require determination, focus and discipline,” said Ansah.
On her part, Chisi said this year’s International Women’s Day theme of ‘Giving to get’ resonated with her actions as through her organisation, System of Fashion and Women Empowerment, she invests in women by empowering them in education and the economy.
Since 1911, the International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 and commemorates women’s fight for equality and liberation along with the women’s rights movement.
