Malawian Women in Trade Forgotten

……as gender activists put too much focus on politics

BY RICHARD CHIROMBO

Too much focus on politics by Malawian gender activists is reversing process elsewhere, topping the list for the forgotten being women in economics and trade.

The trend has over the past decade led into a notable decrease in women participation in trade and business policy formulation as well as capacity building, forcing observers to warn that such an over-look could prove too costly in future- as women in politics will one day have ambitions fulfilled while their counterparts in business start from square one.

Malawi is a signatory to the 1997 Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Declaration on gender, in which Heads of State and Government indicated their commitment to increasing women participation in politics and decision making through out the region by 30 per cent..

This came as a recognition of the fact that women in Africa face a myriad of challenges; ranging from deep-rooted cultural stereotypes to policy misplacement, mainly due to the absence of women during the crucial stages of policy formulation.

There, at Kwacha Conference Centre in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, Malawian gender activists were joined by their regional counterparts in singing a vernacular song:

Ine toto,

Kubwerera m’mbuyo,

Ine toto,

Ine toto,

Kubwerera m’mbuyo!

Meaning: No more turning back!!

Perhaps to women disenfranchisement and oppression. A strong message, also, against cultural stereotypes that force communities to look the other side when women are demanding what is due to them- their rights.

The song reverberated across Malawi, like a young bird that has just found its wings, bringing in a new hope hitherto unanticipated. Women were being emancipated from the yolks of folk-role, where they are largely depicted as kitchen-mongers and unpaid house guards, whose only pay is break fast, lunch and dinner. Not anymore.

Now, however, there is little to show for that 1997 meeting, as Malawi, host for the meeting, remains far off the mark towards achieving 30 per cent women representation, according to NGO Gender Coordination Chairperson Emma Kaliya.

The absence of women has been notable in trade policy fora and discussion task forces, where their participation, let alone presence, has albeit been pathetic.

The most recent one being the one organised by the Malawi Export Promotion Council (Mepc) in collaboration with the National Working Group on Trade Policy (NWGTC) held in Blantyre. Out of the 50-plus men present, there were only six women.

The development did not go unnoticed by economics and trade experts and policy makers.