United Nations Women (UN Women) has called on local political parties to create a safe space for women participating in politics and swiftly move to address violence against women during elections.

Speaking during the opening of a three-day multi-stakeholder conference in Salima on Wednesday themed ‘Violence against women in elections’, UN Women acting country representative Kebedech Ambaye observed that women experience various forms of violence during elections, including physical, psychological, verbal and digital abuse.

In 2021, the world’s political leaders, youth activists, corporate executives, development agencies, gathered in Paris for the Generation Equality Forum to lay the foundation for a new agenda to address gender equality. Following the Forum, as a co-leader of the Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, Malawi made commitments to promote feminist movements building and women’s leadership at all levels.

Hon Catherine Gotani Hara, a lawmaker with the main opposition Malawi Congress Party, MCP, has been elected speaker of the country’s parliament becoming the first woman speaker.

Multiple local media portals have reported that she won a closely contested poll on Wednesday beating former first deputy speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje.

Johannesburg, South Africa (ADV) – A Malawian NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGO-GCN) has expressed concern on political parties that snubbed women in the internal election processes with many female parliamentary candidates forced to stand as independents,” African Daily Voice has learnt.

Gender Focused Civil Society Organisations have called on government to act on recent acts of violence against politically active women.

Non-Governmental Organization’s Gender Coordination Network chair, Barbara Banda, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Tuesday that as CSOs they are concerned with the litany of violence against women in politics.

By Sylvester Kumwenda

Lilongwe, November 27. Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe has called upon political parties that have not yet conducted their primary elections to support women aspirants in order to have more women in political leadership positions.