By: Golden Kang'oma

Salima, May 28, Mana: The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust, under its Nthawi Yawo project funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has employed male champions to encourage women’s participation in the upcoming elections.

This initiative aims to foster inclusive participation of women in Malawi's political landscape.

"The role of the male champions is to try to change the minds of the people in different areas, in Salima. We have about 12 Traditional Authorities (TAs), and each TA has two male champions. Their aim is to garner community support for women in politics," she said.

Mataya emphasized the project’s goal of widespread public sensitization. "Our expectation is that they will reach out to as many people as possible, encouraging support for women in politics. We want to empower women to take part in various positions in the 2025 elections," she said.

Mataya added that the male champions will undergo various training sessions to effectively carry out their roles.

Gender Officer for Salima District Council, Friness Samaliya stressed the importance of male advocacy in this patriarchal society.

"We are calling on these male champions to spread the message. The campaign period is not yet in, but we want to prepare women to show their interest in politics."

She said: "In a patriarchal setup where men make most family decisions, it's crucial for these champions to penetrate male-dominated communities and encourage fellow men to support women candidates."

"If men support women, we will see more women surviving in the political arena in Salima," she said.

Bisalomu Gowa, one of the male champions, expressed his commitment to the cause.

"We are going to work tirelessly to ensure that women's participation in politics increases," Gowa said.

The initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing women's political representation in Malawi, aiming to bring about a more inclusive and balanced political environment.