ActionAid Celebrates Women's Empowerment, Vows Continued Efforts
ActionAid's climate change and emergency response efforts included training 58,784 women smallholder farmers in agroecology and organic manure making.
LILONGWE, Malawi- ActionAid Malawi joined the government and the world in celebrating International Women's Day on March 8 under the theme "Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress", writes Winston Mwale.
The social justice organization took stock of its women's empowerment interventions and committed to more effective programming.
"Through our five Country Strategy Paper V: 'Action for Social Justice' that ran from 2018 to 2023, we have empowered a total of 634 women collectives in taking joint action with allies to challenge all forms of patriarchy and violence," said Wongani Mugaba, acting executive director of ActionAid Malawi.
He added that 80,000 women, young women and girls were "empowered to challenge patriarchy that predisposes them to violence and exploitation."
To address violence against women and girls, Mugaba stated that 49,143 women and girls "got linked to comprehensive Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) services."
Recognizing poverty as a driver of gender-based violence, ActionAid Malawi empowered 130,486 women and girls through economic empowerment initiatives like vocational skills training, village savings and loans, and digital financial spaces.
"This includes young urban women who have been empowered to challenge oppressive macro-economic policies such as austerity which has resulted in dwindling service delivery in key sectors of the country," Mugaba said.
The organization said it empowered 136,728 women and young women "to control productive resources such as land, business capital, markets and agricultural proceeds."
Additionally, 335,159 young women and girls now have full control over their sexual and reproductive health lives.
ActionAid's climate change and emergency response efforts included training 58,784 women smallholder farmers in agroecology and organic manure making.
Moreover, 3,158 women were empowered "to lead in emergency preparedness and response."
In governance, 7,188 women assumed leadership positions in various development structures, including village committees, local government, and parliament.
Moving forward, ActionAid Malawi intends to reprogram its work "to effectively respond to a rapidly evolving political and socio-economic context."