By Twink Jones Gadama
As the world prepares to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, with the theme “For all women and girls: Rights, equality, empowerment,” Malawi has a unique opportunity to reflect on its own progress towards gender equality.
One critical area of focus is the representation of women in politics and decision-making positions. Despite some progress, women remain underrepresented in Malawi’s parliament and local councils.
To address this imbalance, adopting a quota system could be a crucial step towards empowering women and promoting gender equality.
The idea of quotas is not new to Malawi. In fact, the country has been part of the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) efforts to promote gender equality since 2008.
The SADC Protocol on Gender and Development sets a target of at least 50% representation of women in decision-making positions by 2030.
However, despite this commitment, Malawi still lags behind in terms of women’s representation in politics.
According to a fact sheet by Gender Links, the representation of women in Malawi’s parliament is below the regional average.
As of 2020, women held only 23.3% of seats in the National Assembly, compared to the SADC average of 25.4%.
This underrepresentation is not limited to parliament; women also hold fewer than 20% of seats in local councils.
So, what can be done to address this imbalance? Adopting a quota system is one potential solution.
A quota system would guarantee a certain number of seats for women in parliament and local councils, ensuring that women have a minimum level of representation.
This approach has been successfully implemented in other countries, including Rwanda, which has one of the highest levels of women’s representation in the world.
As Emma Kaliya, a Malawian women’s rights activist, notes, “We have come for one agenda. Women want to be in Parliament and local councils”. Kaliya’s organization, Gender Links, has been at the forefront of efforts to promote women’s representation in Malawi. Their work highlights the importance of quotas in achieving this goal.
But quotas are not just a means to an end; they are also a necessary step towards promoting gender equality.
As Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai notes, “We cannot succeed when half of us are held back”.³ Quotas help to address the systemic barriers that prevent women from participating in politics, including discrimination, lack of resources, and social norms.
Other internationally recognized women have also spoken out on the importance of quotas and women’s representation in politics.
As former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton notes, “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world”. Clinton’s comment highlights the potential benefits of increasing women’s representation in politics, including bringing new perspectives and ideas to the table.
Similarly, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a US Supreme Court Justice, notes, “Women’s rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda”. Ginsburg’s comment emphasizes the importance of promoting women’s rights and equality, including through measures like quotas.
In addition to these international voices, African women have also been at the forefront of efforts to promote women’s representation in politics.
As Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel laureate, notes, “The higher you go, the fewer women there are”. Maathai’s comment highlights the challenges that women face in accessing leadership positions, and the need for measures like quotas to address these barriers.
Finally, as Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a former President of Liberia and Nobel laureate, notes, “Women are not just victims, they are agents of change”. Sirleaf’s comment emphasizes the importance of empowering women to take on leadership roles, and to promote positive change in their communities.
In conclusion, adopting a quota system to increase women’s representation in politics and decision-making positions is a crucial step towards promoting gender equality in Malawi.
As the country prepares to commemorate International Women’s Day, it is essential to recognize the importance of empowering women and promoting their rights.
By adopting quotas, Malawi can help to address the systemic barriers that prevent women from participating in politics, and promote a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
