Media challenged to support women in politics

The NGO Gender Coordination Network has called on the media to help
in the promotion of women’s participation in politics for the 50-50 campaign to yield results.

Chairperson of the Network, Maggie Kathewera Banda, made the appeal in Lilongwe on Wednesday on the sidelines of a media orientation of the political empowerment of women project.

Kathewera Banda says women have great potential of making a significant contribution to the country’s development, but in most cases lack the resources to support their campaign, which need media intervention.

“If politics in Malawi, it’s really expensive because you need to have enough resources for you to make it, and also political parties regard women as weak candidates, so they prefer men to women, that is also a challenge, so we think the media can come in to help.” Kathewera Banda said.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Media Institute for Southern Africa- MISA Malawi chapter, Golden Matonga, believes the media has a critical role in making sure that the public has a soft heart for women.

“Media sets the pace and we have the power to build or break, if we write positive stories about women, the public will begin to appreciate the role they can play.” Said Matonga.

NGO Gender Coordination Network is implementing the political empowerment of women project with support from UN Women through the Malawi Electoral Support Project under the basket fund supported by the European Union, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Government of United Kingdom, Irish Embassy and the Norwegian Embassy.