Malawi is celebrating mothers today, but behind the flowers, gifts and messages of appreciation, poverty remains a challenge for millions of women.
Figures cited by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), based on 2021 World Bank data, show that 51.4 percent of women in Malawi live in poor households, compared with 50 percent of men.
The figures highlight the economic difficulties facing women, many of whom carry the responsibility of caring for children and providing for their families.
Women’s rights advocate Maggie Kathewere Banda Gende has called for the economic empowerment of mothers in Malawi, saying financial independence is key to helping them provide for their families.
Speaking to local media, Banda said the country is not doing well in economically empowering mothers, despite their important role in managing households and caring for children.
She said empowering women economically would enable mothers to meet their families’ needs and improve the welfare of their households