Economic Empowerment
Lilongwe — Executive Director for Action Aid Malawi, Grace Malera says there is need to increase women participation in decision making positions in the country.
She was speaking during a half day media orientation workshop on Wednesday in Lilongwe organised by Action Aid Malawi.
Malera said the media plays a crucial role in some of the interventions happening in the country especially when it comes to women and girls empowerment.
She said Action Aid believes in the promotion of women rights hence its focus on supporting women so that they are empowered in all areas.
"The media have been a bridge between our organisation and the community to ensure access to justice, economic empowerment as well as building capacity on issues affecting women," observed Malera.
She further said there is need to create a sustainable empowerment mechanism opportunities for women and girls across the country in order for them to be self reliant as they participate in income generating activities.
"Take the initiative to call on us and dig information that will benefit women and girls as one way of advancing their rights in order to increase the number of women contributing positively to the country's development," she advised.
She added that there is need of news stories that would benefit the communities in all sectors of life such as women rights, HIV and Aids as well as poverty eradication just to mention a few.
Malera pointed out that women who are members of Village Saving Loans groups are benefiting a lot and that their lives have improved through engagement in small scale businesses that enable them support their families.
Speaking earlier, head of programs for Action Aid Malawi, Peter Mangani said the organisation has lined up different activities that would enable it support women and girls empowerment in the country.
"Action aid delivers programs in all 28 districts in Malawi that are guided by human rights and feminism principles as one way of supporting women to realise their economic rights," he said.
Mangani stressed that the organisation would continuously engage the media on various issues on both local and national level that target women and other programs in the country.
"Women and girls are vulnerable hence the need to venture into businesses that would enable them make a living and improve their lives," said Mangani.
He revealed that in 2015 Action Aid Malawi reached out to a total of 855 women to train them in Village Saving Loans and Business Management skills as one way of supporting them.
Action Aid Malawi started in 1990 and encourages effective action for advancing and recognising women and promotes awareness of rights among women and girls to be empowered.