By Yamikani Sabola

Mzuzu, December 17, Mana: Executive Director for Women Legal Resource Center (WOLREC), Maggie Kathewera Banda has asked political parties to support women aspiring to contest for various positions in the 2025 elections.

Banda was speaking on Tuesday during a meeting in Mzuzu where representatives for women groups in the northern region were convened to review a women manifesto document that was developed in 2019.

She said WOLREC, together with its partners, is working with women in a number of districts encouraging them to run as candidates for various positions in the forthcoming polls.

“In the districts that we have gone to there are women that have expressed interest to contest and more women are still expressing interest.

“At the end of it all, we will have more women that are contesting but what we need is the support of the political parties. Most of these women will be contesting under various political parties so we appeal to them to field the women as their candidates,” Banda said.

She said the organization is also interfacing with political parties so that they understand why it is important to field women as candidates and also analyzing what kind of support to give them.

She said apart from that, they are working with women that have expressed interest; discussing with them particular challenges they are facing and brainstorming on what to do together with them to sort out such challenges.

“We have received funding from European Union to support women that want to contest in the 2025 elections and not just women but even the youth and people with disabilities.

“Through that support, we are working with the women, youths and people with disabilities; encouraging them to contest in the 2025 elections. We are also planning to be interfacing with the voters to encourage them to vote for the women, youths and people with disabilities,” she said.

Chairperson for Mbawemi Women Organization, Dorothy Chiumia said women find it challenging to contest for positions due to economic challenges, which prevents them from mounting formidable political campaigns.

Chiumia urged political parties to value women and entrust them with political leadership roles.