The NGO Gender Coordination Network (GCN), a leading organization dedicated to empowering women in politics, has condemned rising tide of political violence targeting women in Malawi.
In an exclusive interview with The Atlas Malawi, Chairperson for the network Maggie Kathewera Banda spelt the urgent need to take action to protect women in the political arena and ensure their full participation in the democratic process.
Kathewera Banda did not mince words as she condemned the recent surge in political violence against women.
Citing several alarming cases, she highlighted the physical, emotional, and psychological toll such violence takes on women who dare to step into the political sphere.
“No woman should have to fear for her safety simply because she chooses to participate in politics,” Banda declared adding that “This is not just an attack on individuals; it is an attack on democracy itself.”
Banda then called on political leaders across the spectrum to take immediate and decisive action to end this violence.
“Political leaders must be held accountable for the actions of their supported. Silence in the face of such violence is complicity. It is time for leaders to stand up and say ‘enough is enough,” asserted Banda.
In addition to addressing political leaders, Banda also issued a rallying cry to women across Malawi. She urged them to stand firm in their rights and demand equal treatment within their political parties.
“Women must not be sidelined or silenced. We must claim our rightful place at the table and be active participants in shaping the future of our nation,” she said.
Banda also proposed a groundbreaking measure to address the issue, calling on the Malawi Electoral Commission to bar political parties that condone or fail to address violence against women from participating in elections.
“It is time to hold them accountable and ensure that they are not allowed to benefit from such reprehensible behavior,” she said
Of late, Malawi has seen a rise in cases of political violences targeting with women being top targets.
According to NGO GCN, the vice has not spared political figureheads as former president Joyce Banda, Current Malawi Electoral Commission Tsar Justice Annabel Mtalimanja and Malawi Congress Party Publicity Secretary Jessie Kabwila have all faced its ugly wrath.
