Malawi’s Minister of Gender, Child, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha, has said the Malawi Government values its partnership with Scotland, which has now reached 20 years.
She made the remarks on Monday in Edinburgh, Scotland during a session organised by the Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP).
Navicha noted that this longstanding relationship is one reason why President Professor Peter Mutharika accepted the honour of serving as co-honorary patron of the partnership.
“Malawi regards Scotland as one of its most dependable friends in the world. Over the years, we have supported each other through strong people-to-people ties, and your contributions to Malawi’s social development agenda are greatly appreciated,” Navicha said.
And the Scottish non-governmental organisations have welcomed Malawi’s decision to introduce free secondary education and abolish examination fees, with Mamie Martin Fund representative, Moira Dunworth, describing the move as a major step toward empowering young people and improving access to education.
The Mamie Martin Fund, which operates in Malawi’s Northern Region, supports girls’ education in schools under the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, the Catholic Diocese and at Mchengautuwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Mzuzu. Dunworth described the removal of school and examination fees as historic and an important step in empowering girls through improved access to education.
She said the organisation is currently supporting 163 students and noted that the removal of the two cost components would allow the institution to focus its resources on providing boarding fees and transport for rural students from poor backgrounds.
Emma Wood of STEKA Skills said empowering Malawian women includes ensuring access to education and information that can improve their social and economic standing. She added that such empowerment also involves challenging certain cultural norms that still exist and hinder women’s development.
A Malawian based in Scotland, Gertie Kabwazi, who runs an NGO supporting widows, said families that have lost their breadwinners stand to benefit from the new access to education. She said the policy would make a significant difference to young women and widows.
Malawi Human Rights Commissioner Boniface Massah contributed to the discussions through a letter read by Dr Yonah Matemba, highlighting the plight of people with albinism. Eric Sambisa, a Human Rights Fellow at the University of Dundee, called for a more inclusive approach to human rights in the country.
Other Scottish organisations also made presentations during the session, including the Turing Trust, which said it has shipped more than 5,000 recycled computers to Malawi for use in educational institutions. The University of Strathclyde highlighted its work documenting Malawian women for publication on Wikipedia, while the University of Stirling outlined its ongoing road safety project in Malawi.
The meeting underscored Scotland’s continued support for Malawi’s social and educational development agenda.
By Kondwani Munthali, Contributor
