By Zenak Matekenya

Dedza, October 2, Mana: Dedza District Council Director of Administration, Dr. Chris Salaniponi has challenged women to capitalize on their numerical advantage to achieve political leadership positions and break down barriers in various spheres.

He made the remarks Tuesday during a Women’s Assembly conducted by Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Worelc) in partnership with Oxfam and with funding from European Union to empower women to smoothly vie for political positions in the 2025 general election.

Currently, the disparity in the district's parliamentary representation is striking with eight male parliamentarians and only two female councilors out of 16.

“In a democratic society, numbers are key to success. Statistics show that we have more females in Malawi. It is sad to note that women are always being oppressed yet they command the numerical strength,” Dr. Salanipoi said.

He said lack of adequate food, water scarcity, and social injustice are among critical challenges that disproportionately impact women and can effectively be addressed by empowering more women to take up leadership roles.

A participant from Kasumbu Women Forum in the area of TA Kasumbu, Linda Mabwera said social and cultural barriers such as intimidation and demeaning comments from both men and fellow women discourage women from engaging in politics.

She emphasized the importance of women supporting each other and abandoning jealousy for the greater good of the nation.

Mabwera praised Worlec’s ‘Demokalse Yokomela Aliyense’ intervention for providing a platform for women to openly discuss their challenges and concerns which when addressed can encourage more women to participate in politics.

“By addressing these challenges, women can unlock their full potential and make a lasting impact in leadership positions,” she said.

Among the participants were from Area and Village Development Committee members and leaders from different community structures from all the eight Traditional Authorities in the district.