Malawi: Shared care, shared power: Parenting circles forging gender equity

Across generations, parenting has often mirrored the rhythms of tradition, fathers as providers, mothers as nurturers.

But today, a quiet revolution is reshaping those cycles. Women are not just caretakers; they are redefining what leadership in parenting looks like, balancing careers, challenging stereotypes, and steering families through modern complexities with resilience and vision.

One such example is Chimwemwe Makande from Linthipe 1, Traditional Authority Kaphuka in Dedza district. The entrepreneur balances her businesses while actively challenging stereotypes through the parenting cycles.

Parenting cycles; a grouping of people in the communities with an aim of safeguarding children’s rights by offering parental skills and guidance, were introduced by the Malawi government and coordinated by organizations such as Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO). Makande’s experience illustrates how women are not only nurturing families but also reshaping community attitudes toward gender roles and leadership in parenting.

“Through these cycles, we are at the forefront of ensuring that children are protected and provided for, that women are not subjected to abuse within their families, and that parenting skills are shared,” explains Makande.

Established in 2020, the parenting cycles were created to strengthen community involvement in the care of children, reduce cases of abuse, and promote the exchange of parental skills across households.

Makande reflects, “Before the establishment of the cycles, our area had an individualistic approach to parenting, which fuelled cases of neglect as well as abuse. But now this is changing.”

Her words are echoed in Zomba district by Enifa Juma, another member of the parenting cycles, who highlights the deep commitment women have embraced. She explains that despite limited incomes, women often use their personal resources to ensure that children from other families do not miss school and have access to basic necessities such as soap and porridge.

“We don’t earn much, but the skills we have developed have instilled a strong sense of responsibility in us. We go the extra mile to provide soap, sugar, and porridge so that no child goes hungry or suffers abuse,” Juma reveals

As both women acknowledge, challenges have not spared them. They continue to struggle with limited resources to sustain their activities, and face the added difficulty of minimal male involvement, despite men being an integral part of ensuring the success of such a program.

One man who has chosen to break tradition and actively participate in parenting cycles is Macfold James from Fosa Village, Traditional Authority Kachere in Ntcheu. He acknowledges that many men shy away from such initiatives because of entrenched cultural beliefs that caregiving is solely a woman’s responsibility.

James reflects: “We were raised with the idea that women are the only ones responsible for taking care of the home, including children. This has in turn put a burden on our women, as they have to work hard at taking care of everyone and everything regarding the home.”

According to James, meaningful transformation requires a deliberate shift in attitudes. He stresses the need for awareness campaigns to challenge the status quo and encourage men to see caregiving as a shared responsibility rather than a woman’s burden.

James explains: “It just didn’t happen overnight for me to get myself involved in the parenting cycles. I was taught about their importance and how I can contribute. I am sure if men are reached with the same message, many more will step forward to do their part.”

One of the country’s ardent child rights activists; Memory Chisenga believes parenting cycles is one proactive way of ensuring childcare and abuse prevention.

“Cases of child neglect and abuse happen in our communities, if we have community led interventions, where primary caretakers are part of the community, we will minimize the many cases of child violations in our areas,” she analysed.

Chisenga noted that while parenting cycles provide a proactive framework for preventing neglect and abuse, their effectiveness depends on sustained support.

“There is need for more resources and trainings to ensure that the work is impactful,” she urged, highlighting the importance of equipping communities with the tools and knowledge to nurture children safely and effectively.

Chairperson for the National Children’s Commission-NCC, Bishop Vincent Mwakhwawa said the program hugely compliments the Commission’s mandate of safeguarding children’s rights.

“Contrary to popular beliefs that parenting is something that comes naturally or freestyle and doesn’t need instructions, there is actually need for sharing of skills and ideas if we are to have safe, healthy and well-groomed children.” He emphasizes.

Bishop Mwakhwawa has since encouraged women to keep up their efforts, while calling on men to step forward and share the responsibility of caregiving. His appeal reflecting a growing recognition that child protection cannot rest on the shoulders of women alone.

He further pledged the Commission’s commitment to mobilize resources so that parenting cycles can expand their reach and impact more children across communities.

According to Principal Child Affairs Officer in the Department of Child Affairs under the Ministry of Gender, Children Disability and Social Welfare, Nellie Masamba, government discovered through evidence that most parents do not have adequate skills as well as knowledge on positive parenting hence the establishment of the cycles.

“Apart from positive parenting, there are several other issues including child rights and protection, hygiene and nutrition which most parents needed to be equipped with.” She adds.

Masamba explained that government initiated the parenting cycles as a deliberate intervention to address the issue of positive parenting which evidence showed that is lacking in most.

“The sessions were designed to be holistic, equipping parents with vital knowledge on child rights and protection, alongside practical guidance on hygiene and nutrition.” She highlights.

Masamba noted that these areas were critical in ensuring families nurtured their children with care and respect while safeguarding their health and overall well-being.

In response to the challenges members of the parenting cycles are facing, particularly around limited resources, Masamba acknowledged the difficulties, noting that they stem from the initiative being funded under the Early Childhood Development (ECD) program.

She, however, expressed optimism that the situation may improve, as government has recently established Parenting, Education and Support as a stand-alone program, raising hopes that more resources will be allocated.

Masamba further appealed to stakeholders in the child protection sector to complement government efforts by providing both resources and skills, stressing that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility.

Ultimately, the parenting cycles stand as more than just community gatherings; they are a blueprint for reshaping Malawi’s social fabric. By fostering shared responsibility between women and men, empowering families with practical skills, and mobilizing collective action against neglect and abuse, these circles are planting seeds of equity and resilience.

Their success will depend on sustained resources and broader participation, but the vision is clear: a future where caregiving is not bound by gender, and every child grows up in a home strengthened by shared care and shared power.

Written by Chimwemwe Mikwala. This article, first published by YONECO FM, is part of the Media Parity Capacity Building Programme and republished as part of the programme series.