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!