US will keep supporting Malawi – Biden

Despite suffering inconveniences on Tuesday as she was forced to turn back on her way to Mangochi, US second lady Jill Biden has maintained that the United States of America will keep supporting Malawi.

Dr Jill Biden made the remarks on Wednesday at Kamuzu Palace when she met Madam Gertrude Mutharika. In her remarks, Biden also commended the strong relationship between Malawi and USA.

“USA is ready to support Malawi in alleviating the effects of hunger that has hit the country,” said Biden.

On her part, Mutharika said there is need for interventions that is why she is using Beautify Malawi Trust as a platform to champion girls’ and women’s rights. She added that efforts in promoting human rights are driven by her passion to give greater attention to the rights of women and girls.

“Malawi like many countries in the world is still a society where women face numerous challenges including all forms of violence as well as discrimination both socially and economically,” said Mutharika.

The first lady said this is why she has undertaken active steps to complement government’s efforts in supporting girls’ education under the Beautify Malawi initiative called Bring Back Girl Child to School. She said the initiative is there to mobilize and retain as many girls as possible in school and reduce school dropout rates of girls.

“Our focus on women empowerment and girls’ education is premised on the understanding that it is education that can lift communities out of poverty,” she said.

According to Mutharika, education is an empowerment tool that can help women and girls to develop self-confidence and cultivate self-esteem thereby be taken out of the peripheral of social and economic development to take up their rightful place as active participants.

In her comments on the killings of people with albinism, Madame Mutharika called upon the United States government to support Beam and other stakeholders in promoting the rights of people living with albinism in the face of persecution in relation to ritual beliefs.

Biden is in the country as part of her three-country visit to Africa to engage governments and civil society partners on issues related to economic empowerment and educational opportunities for women and girls, and food security.