Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO) has urged parents and other stakeholders to support girls and women so that they should be able to realize their dreams.
Girls Activist Youth Organisation Programmes Manager, Gilbert M’bwana, said this during an event held to commemorate International Women’s Day at Chiphoola Primary School at Traditional Authority Mwambo in Zomba .
M’bwana said that his organisation is pleased to see many women in decision making positions, both in public and private sectors citing Police lnspector General, Anti-Corruption Bureau Director General, Malawi University Science and Technology Vice Chancellor , Catholic University of Malawi Vice Chancellor and Ombudsman among others.
M’bwana said they participated in the International Women Day to drum up support in advocating for girls education.
He observed that normative cultural practices hinder girls’ advancement in education yet girls have potential to pursue further studies if given opportunities.
The GAYO Programme Manager therefore called on parents, guardians, local leaders and other relevant authorities to give room to girls to realize their dreams of becoming lawyers, nurses, engineers among other professionals who can contribute to national economy.
“We work in collaboration with Center for Education Promotion and Advancement of the Rights of Adolescent Mothers (CEPARAM) because the organisation implements Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) programmes. We want to help girls to become economically self-reliant,” he added.
CEPARAM Executive Director, Caroline Mkandawire, said her organisation attended International Women Day because of being GAYO’s key partner in implementing women empowerment projects in Zomba.
She added that CEPARAM partners with GAYO in SRH programmes with university students.
Girls Activist Youth Organisation also implements projects in Mchinji while CEPARAM has interventions in Zomba.
