Malawi: Inequalities weigh heavy on women’s shoulders

Blantyre, 4 December: As countries take stock of efforts aimed at ending gender violence (GBV) during the Sixteen Days of Activism, a close up on Malawi shows that this country has a long way to go to eradicate the GBV, gender inequality and other social inequalities what weigh heavy on women’s shoulders. Despite Malawi’s Domestic Violence Act and legislation on sexual harassment, gender violence persists due to lack of implementation, missing legislation and contradictory laws that negatively impact on women’s rights.

According to the 2014 SADC Gender Protocol Barometer, Malawi joins Angola, Botswana and Namibia – the four Southern African countries that do not have specific legislation on human trafficking. Malawi is also one of ten countries in SADC where marital rape is not recognised as an offence. Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius and Swaziland include claw back clauses in their constitutions. In Lesotho and Malawi the recognition of cultural and customary rights mitigates against gender equality. Women are prejudiced in customary legal systems, for example child marriage and female genital mutilation. Such harmful traditional and cultural practices continue to drive GBV and gender inequality.

Wezi Nyirongo interviews Agnes Jere, a survivor of gender based violence, who touches on a number of these issues and how these intersecting inequalities have negatively affected her life.

Click here to listen to the interview

This podcast is part of the Gender Links News Service Sixteen Days of Activism Special series. Bringing you fresh views on everyday news.