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 AFROL
Gender Profiles:
Malawi
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in Southern Africa with very low
development indicators. Most of its history has passed under the isolationist
dictatorship under late President Kamuzu Banda. An open and multi-party system
was only arrived at in 1994, when present president Bakili Muluzi won power in
the elections. Malawi's isolation is maybe best illustrated by the fact that TV
broadcasting did not start until 1999. Since democracy and an opening to
the outside world was implemented, however, things have moved relatively fast,
and Malawi certainly has been modernising, also when it comes to social values. The Constitution specifically provides for equal rights for women,
but with society predominantly traditional, women's liberation takes time. The
Malawian press is however noted by its gender sensitivity and is thus
contributing to a dialogue on gender issues in the country - an important step.
About 90% of the population living in rural areas. Rural households headed by women are among the
poorest of the country's households. Women have limited access to agricultural extension services, training, and credit. Basic health and education facilities are often not offered to women in rural areas.
Women often have less access to legal and financial assistance, and wives are often victims of discriminatory inheritance practices in which the majority of the estate is taken unlawfully by the deceased husband's family.
Spousal abuse, especially wife beating, is common. Society has begun to take the problem of violence against women seriously. The press published frequent accounts of rape and abuse, and the judiciary continued to impose heavier penalties on those convicted of rape.
Women face significant health problems. The country has a high maternal mortality rate. HIV/AIDS is a major threat, and females in the 15 to 24 age bracket are three to four times more likely to be HIV positive than men.
Under the Constitution, women have the right to full and equal protection by law and may not be discriminated against on the basis of sex or marital status
Women in Malawi on average give birth to 5,3 children (2000 est.)
Social data
Life expectancy: total population: 37,6 years
male: 37,2 years
female: 38 years (2000 est.)
Infant mortality: 122,3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Note: Only one-third of children have easy access to safe drinking water. Infant mortality is high.
Child malnutrition is a serious problem.
Alphabetization rate: Total population: 58%
male: 72,8%
female: 43,4% (1999 est.)
Medical services: 80% of the population has access to medical
services. There are approximately 50.000 persons per doctor.
Access to potable water: 47%
Sex ratio: at birth: 1,03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1,00 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0,97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0,69 male(s)/female
total population: 0,97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Religious data: Traditional African religions 52,2%, Muslim
7,6%, Christians 40,2%.
Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 37% of GDP and 85% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The government faces strong challenges to improve educational and health facilities. Poverty is widespread. The problem of street children worsened as the number of orphans whose parents died from HIV/AIDS increased. In 1995 there were an estimated 140,000 children who had lost their mother to AIDS, and this figure is expected to increase to 300,000 by 2000.
Rural households headed by women are among the poorest. Women have limited access to agricultural extension services, training, and credit. Basic health and education facilities are often not offered to women in rural areas.
Family and tradition
Spousal abuse, especially wife beating, is common. Society has begun to take the problem of violence against women seriously. The press published frequent accounts of rape and abuse, and the judiciary continued to impose heavier penalties on those convicted of rape. However, domestic violence seldom is discussed openly by women, reportedly even among themselves, and in part due to the lack of resources there are no confidential shelters or facilities for treatment of women who suffer physical or sexual abuse. Police do not normally intervene in domestic disputes.
Wives are often victims of discriminatory inheritance practices in which the majority of the estate is taken unlawfully by the deceased husband's
family. Women are usually at a disadvantage in marriage, family, and property
rights, but they have begun to speak out against abuse and
discrimination. Households headed by women are represented disproportionately in the lowest quarter of income
distribution. In a country where 85 percent of the population is rural, the majority of farmers are
women.
Lokal media also are reporting about the sexual abuse of children, especially in relation to traditional practices of initiation. While rites to initiate girls into their future adult roles are still secret, information suggests that abusive practices are widespread and quite damaging.
Gender sensitivity in society
The Constitution specifically provides for equal rights for women; forbids discrimination based on language, culture, or religion; and generally provides for equality and recognition before the law for every citizen. In practice the capacity of government institutions to assure equal rights for all citizens is limited.
Under the Constitution, women have the right to full and equal protection by law and may not be discriminated against on the basis of sex or marital status; however, in practice discrimination against women is pervasive, and women do not have opportunities equal to those available to men. Women have significantly lower levels of literacy, education, formal and nontraditional employment opportunities, and access to resources to increase agricultural productivity.
Women, especially in rural areas, historically have been unable to complete even a primary education, and are therefore at a serious disadvantage in finding employment. Accepted economic and social practice hampers the ability of women and girls to gain an education. The literacy rate among women between the ages of 15 and 45 is less than 37 percent. Male literacy in the same age group is about 45 percent. Girls drop out of school more frequently than boys do, and in the final year of primary school, only about 25 percent of students are girls. Despite recent significant gains in girls' access to education, large gaps remain between girls' and boys' achievement levels. However, there have been signs of improvement in education for girls. Girls entered first grade in the same proportion as boys during the year, although the percentage of female secondary school entrants is down from the previous year (39 percent).
Women often have less access to legal and financial assistance, and wives are often victims of discriminatory inheritance practices in which the majority of the estate is taken unlawfully by the deceased husband's family. Women are usually at a disadvantage in marriage, family, and property rights, but they have begun to speak out against abuse and discrimination. Households headed by women are represented disproportionately in the lowest quarter of income distribution. In a country where 85 percent of the population is rural, the majority of farmers are women; 70 percent of the rural female population farm full time.
Typically, women work more hours than men to complete the same farm tasks because they rarely have comparable tools and equipment and remain responsible for all household tasks. Women have limited access to agricultural extension services, training, and credit. Some progress has been made in all of these areas with gender training for agricultural extension workers and the gradual introduction of rural credit programs for women. The participation of women in the limited formal labor market is particularly constrained; they constitute less than 5 percent of managerial and administrative staff.
The Law Commissioner has undertaken a review of legislation that discriminates against women and has proposed legislation to bring the law into compliance with new constitutional standards. By year's end, 61 of 65 relevant laws had been reviewed. In 1997 Parliament passed an affiliation bill that raised the minimum level of child support. In 1998 Parliament passed a wills and inheritance bill that increased widows' rights.
The Government addresses women's concerns through the Ministry of Gender, Youth, and Community Services. The National Commission on Women in Development coordinates government and NGO activities. The Gender Initiative Network, an informal association of women's NGO's, attempts to bring together the largely urban women's rights activists and the overwhelming rural majority to discuss common interests; however, it did not take specific initiatives during the year.
Health data
Access to potable water: 34% of the population have no access to potable
water.
Medical services: 93% of the population have access to medical
services. There are approximately 25.000 persons per doctor.
Maternal mortality rate: 770/100.000.
Infant mortality: 80,97 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): About 18% of females undergo this
practice.
Women face significant health problems. The country has a high maternal mortality rate. HIV/AIDS is a major threat, and females in the 15 to 24 age bracket are three to four times more likely to be HIV positive than men.
A few small ethnic groups practice female genital mutilation, which is widely condemned by international health experts as damaging to both physical and psychological health. The Government is presently not taking action against FGM. Lokal media also have begun to report on the sexual abuse of children, especially in relation to traditional practices of initiation. While rites to initiate girls into their future adult roles are still secret, information suggests that abusive practices are widespread and quite damaging. Also, the belief that children are unlikely to be HIV positive contributes to the sexual abuse of minors.
Violence against women
Spousal abuse, especially wife beating, is common. Society has begun to take the problem of violence against women seriously. The press published frequent accounts of rape and abuse, and the judiciary continued to impose heavier penalties on those convicted of rape. However, domestic violence seldom is discussed openly by women, reportedly even among themselves, and in part due to the lack of resources there are no confidential shelters or facilities for treatment of women who suffer physical or sexual abuse. Police do not normally intervene in domestic disputes.
A few small ethnic groups practice female genital mutilation, which is widely condemned by international health experts as damaging to both physical and psychological health. The Government is presently not taking action against FGM. Lokal media also have begun to report on the sexual abuse of children, especially in relation to traditional practices of initiation. While rites to initiate girls into their future adult roles are still secret, information suggests that abusive practices are widespread and quite damaging. Also, the belief that children are unlikely to be HIV positive contributes to the sexual abuse of minors.
Main sources: U.S. Department of State, CIA,
Mundo negro
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