Malawi needs to step up gender equality

Written by Lowani Mtonga | 16 July 09

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For example, despite widespread support of women candidates by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other well-wishers in the run up to the country’s 2009 elections, Malawi failed to make significant progress towards equality in parliament. Malawi rose from just 27 women, or 14%, elected during the 2004 elections, to 40 women, or 21%, who succeeded to Parliament in 2009.

Malawi, along with Mauritius and Botswana, has not yet signed the SADC Protocol, but it is still something that the nation should must towards. Identifying with the 50/50 principle shows that the country, and political parties, respect and uphold SADC and the African Union (which has also set a 50/50 goal), which they are part of.

On the other hand, although the number is far below the 50% SADC threshold, Malawi’s increase is also commendable because it shows progress. In fact, Malawi has moved a long way in getting more women to parliament, from six women in 1994 to 40 women in 2009.

Nonetheless, the elections are now gone and the electorate will wait another five years before heading to the polls again. For gender activists, the battle for greater women’s representation in parliament goes on, a long battle that will not be quickly won.

With the 50/50 target set for 2015, this means that there is no time to lose. One of the strategies required is to start immediately working on policies and practices at both party and national levels.

At party level, NGOs and other interest groups should press for changes in party constitutions to embrace the 50/50 principle. Constitutions of all political parties in Malawi are vague in their promotion of gender equality. They do not say how they will promote gender equality. At best, the promotion of gender equality is on paper only, but not in reality.

In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) and Congress of the People (COPE) have adopted the 50/50 SADC and African Union principle in their party constitutions. Since South Africa has a proportional representation electoral system, these parties submit gender balanced party lists to the Independent Electoral Commission and their members of parliament are gender balanced.

COPE has 30 seats in parliament, 50% are women. ANC has even gone further. It has 130 (51%) women in parliament out of the 257 seats it won.

There is need for Malawian political parties to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality in real terms. However, in a country where political parties do not regularly hold party conventions, this is an uphill task, but worth pursuing. (For example, the ruling Democratic People’s Party (DPP), has not had elections since its formation in 2005, party positions are filled in by appointments).

At parliamentary level, NGOs should lobby parliament to change the electoral system from the First Past the Post, known as “winner takes all” to proportional representation. Alternatively, they can adopt the Tanzania model where the constitution provides for quota for women.

Short of electoral changes and party political practices, it is difficult to have more women in decision-making positions or pin down government and political parties about their commitment to gender equality.

At the same time, women who have gained ground could now provide greater pressure from within. With the majority of members of parliament (MPs) from the DPP, which also has the highest number of female MPs, NGOs and other gender activists should seize the opportunity to lobby parliament to pass a gender sensitive electoral law.

The vice president, who is a woman and known gender activist, along with other female MPs who were gender activists before they took the decision to enter politics, should be counted on to spearhead the campaign to have more women in leadership positions, not only in parliament, but in the civil service and parastatals

The fight for gender equality has not been not in vain. It has moved Malawi a step forward towards gender equality. The momentum now needs to be stepped up and stay on course. This is the only way to achieve the gender agenda.

Lowani Mtonga was formerly training coordinator for Gender, Media and Elections at Gender Links, and is now the Network Manager at the Gender and Media Southern Africa Network. This article is part of the Gender Links Opinion and Commentary Service.

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