Rights Activists led by the Women Manifesto Movement have asked President Lazarus Chakwera to soberly address their grievances on representation of women in various Parastatal Boards. 

The women, who conducted demonstration in all the country`s major cities, said the Malawi leader acted unlawful by failing to fulfil the required 40% representation of women in the boards.

Speaking after the demonstrations in Lilongwe NGO Gender Coordination Network Chairperson Barbara Banda said the women are expecting to hear from Chakwera and his action on the concerns they have raised.

“We want the President to hear us and we know that he is the necessary power and machinery to address this things because it is for his benefit we know that in another 5 years Malawians will be going to vote again and 52% of those Malawians will be women,” said Banda.

“And it is important that women be looked after, their issues are addressed now so that we have impact at the end of five years.”

Meanwhile, the Women Lawyers Association has asked the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to intervene on matter.

“The Constitution clearly we should not discriminate and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and the Gender Equality Act even provides for in ensuring that in public appointments at least there is a minimum of 40 and maximum of 60,” said Tadala Chinkwezule, the association`s President.

“We have actually petitioned the MHRC to ensure that they monitor, they are supposed to investigate what has happened so we might launch a complaint there, all we might petition them specifically.”