GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH EDUCATION IN MALAWI: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Dr Jane Cullen and Dr Lore Gallastegi
on behalf ofMrs Hendrina Givah (National Co-ordinator FAWEMA)
What is FAWEMA?
FORUM FOR AFRICAN WOMEN EDUCATIONALISTS IN MALAWI
(FAWEMA)“Supporting Girls and Women to
Acquire Education for Development”
FAWEMA
• Vision: To enable girls and women to exploit their full potential in order to effectively contribute towards community and national development.
• Goal: To advance girls’ education and women’s empowerment through education.
• Strategy: Fostering positive policies, practices, and attitudes towards girls’ education
FAWEMA members planning activities
Cultural Challenges
• Puberty• Caring responsibilities– Community– Family– School
• Harmful cultural practices• Early marriage• Sexual violence
FAWEMA sanitary pad
Educational Challenges
• Physical challenges– School buildings– Distance to schools
• Lack of female role models in schools
• Lack of enough qualified teachers
• Fees in secondary schools– Self-boarding
Rural classroom
Opportunities to promote gender equality
• Mother Groups• Gender Responsive Teaching• TUSEME clubs: Speak Out clubs• Female hygiene education• Bursaries and awards• Influencing policy making
Latrines built in for girl learners
Girls returning to school after Mothers group initiative
Gender responsive training at TTC
Opportunities for young mothers
Malawi Access to Teaching Saltire Scholarship
Malawi Access to Teaching Saltire Scholarships
• 1000 women in 4 districts returning to education in their local communities
• Working in rural schools as Teaching Assistants, acting as role models for girls
• Studying to retake secondary examinations which could give them access to teacher training
• Helping to change perceptions among teachers about girls’ and women’s role in education
Suggested ways forward
• Establish accountability forums; use a “name and shame strategy” of districts with high school drop outs’. Hold duty bearers (MPs, Councilors and local chiefs and parents) accountable by empowering children and communities
• Reward communities, committees, teachers of school whose drop out rates are decreasing.
• Lobby governments to make (lower) secondary school education free• Increase supply of teaching/learning materials and infrastructures
including sanitary facilities for girls• Introduce mobile laboratories/libraries for rural schools to increase access
to laboratory/reading facilities and science camps for rural girls (& boys in examination classes)
• Empower young people through empowerment camps and identifying youth ambassadors to help fight early marriage
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
ZIKOMO KWAMBIRI!